


No Matter What Happens

by andiwillflyy



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, F/F, Mamacostia, Post-Canon, Raylla Endgame, Raylla Reunion, Scylla isn't mall girl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:41:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 49,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24473695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andiwillflyy/pseuds/andiwillflyy
Summary: Starts at the end of 1x09 and follows most of canon with a few exceptions.“I told you. No matter what happens, no matter what anybody else thinks. I’m with you.” Raelle repeated her promise… No, her oath.
Relationships: Abigail Bellweather & Raelle Collar, Anacostia Quartermaine & Scylla Ramshorn, Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn, Tally Craven & Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 142
Kudos: 426





	1. I Still Love Her.

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been reading fanfics for years but this is the first time I've actually felt compelled to contribute.
> 
> This is just my take of the events during Episode 10 and onwards.
> 
> I honestly have no concrete plot planned but I can promise you that this will be Raylla endgame, Tally will be un-biddied, and the unit will be reunited.
> 
> Also I feel like I should state that English is my second language, and I am not a good writer by any means but I did try my best.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I still love her.” Raelle admitted, hastily wiping the tears from her face. That revelation didn’t come as a shock to neither her nor Anacostia.

“I still love her.” Raelle admitted, hastily wiping the tears from her face. That revelation didn’t come as a shock to neither her nor Anacostia. 

Loving Scylla was something that Raelle never expected in a million years but it’s something she welcomed with every part of her being. Just like her healing abilities, it’s always felt like it’s been a part of her since the beginning. She was born to love Scylla and Raelle doesn’t regret it one bit.

_“I’m sorry we ever met Scyl.”_

Those words kept echoing in her head. She had regretted it the second those words left her mouth back in that cell but she was too angry to care. She just wanted to hurt Scylla the way she had hurt Raelle. She thought losing her mom was the most she’s ever suffered but losing Scylla was a different sort of suffering. She feels broken, like she’ll never be whole again and it’s all Scylla’s fault. 

Scylla being Spree wasn’t what angered her. It even made sense actually, for someone with Scylla’s past to seek out the terrorist organization. The military had taken her parents, had her on the run for all her life and left her without a home to turn back to. 

Even Raelle, to a point, agreed with The Spree. Don’t get her wrong, she would never ever agree on the taking of any lives – human or witch, but she would like to see a future where her children had the choice whether to conscript or not.

No, what angered her was the fact that their relationship was based on lies, first Porter then Helen, and now she’s stuck thinking back to every interaction they’ve ever had and figuring out what else have been lies. And she probably just ruined the only chance she had of ever finding out the truth when she left Scylla there chained up, alone in that dark damp dungeon. Probably thinking the one person Scylla ever found a home with, didn’t love her anymore.

“I’m so stupid.” Raelle sniffled, she should’ve told her she still loved her while she had the chance.

“No, you’re not. You’re human.” Anacostia tried reassuring her, not knowing the real reasons for her frustration.

“She loves you. That part’s real.” That part, Raelle had no doubts about. Yet still hearing it come from someone that’s been inside Scylla’s head gave her the final reassurance she didn’t know she needed to make up her decision.

 _“Whoever you are, whoever you were. I’m in. No matter what happens, no matter what anybody else thinks, I’m with you.”_

If Scylla could choose Raelle over the Spree, then Raelle can easily do the same for her.

“I think I messed up.” Raelle confessed, remembering the press conference. She knows she needs to fix how she left things with Scylla but one problem at a time. She wasn’t thinking clearly when she told Petra about Scylla, it seemed like there was no other way to get Petra to listen to them about Alder and now she’s realizing that might’ve been a huge mistake.

“We need to find your unit, now.” Anacostia got up in alarm as soon as Raelle finished telling her what they had done.

* * *

“If she does, then you are all in grave danger.” Anacostia warned, but when it comes down to it, they realized there’s really nothing they can do. All they can do is keep going on acting like nothing’s wrong and hope and pray to the Goddess that Alder doesn’t find out about their involvement.

“I’ll be going ladies, but watch your backs. Graduation is right around the corner.” Anacostia announced after giving the unit instructions on how to act to avoid suspicion. The door clicks shut behind her and the girls gave each other knowing looks, all of them shaken from the events.

“It’ll be okay.” Abigail, tried reassuring her unit but anyone can tell even she herself doesn’t believe in those words.

“I’m sorry.” Raelle, apologized the team knowing none of this wouldn’t’ve happened if she hadn’t opened her damn mouth in the first place.

“Me too.” Tally joined in, who looks even more guilt ridden than Raelle. Afterall, it was her idea to go to Petra in the first place.

“No.” Abigail decided. “None of that. We’re not going to play that blame game. It was our decision as a team to go to Petra and we all supported Raelle’s decision to tell Petra about Scylla.”

“Whatever happens, we’re going to get through this together. As a unit.” Abigail nodded looking at her girls and they all nodded along, agreeing. No matter what happens, they have each other and that’s all that matters.

* * *

Graduation came and went and of course, they didn’t make it. It’s clear this was Alder’s revenge for what they did to her. To make matters worse, they found out from Anacostia that Petra pulled some strings to get Abigail into War College. 

Her things were already gone when Tally and Raelle made it back into their room which felt like a massive punch to their gut. Afterall Abigail’s the one that always keeps talking about unit unity only to leave hers the first chance she gets.

“Thank you for taking care of us.” Tally went to hug Anacostia who accepted it with a grateful nod. Who would’ve thought, Anacostia Quatermaine, going soft for the troublemaker unit.

“I’m going to need the two of you to come back so that you can continue to frustrate me and age me prematurely.” Anacostia says, this is the most heartfelt goodbye you will ever get from her.

“Yes Ma’am” Both Tally and Raelle echoed as Anacostia heads towards the door.

“Um…” Raelle darts after Anacostia.

“Let me see her.” Raelle asked Anacostia. “Please.” she added. This was her final attempt before both her and Scylla are going to be shipped off to their deaths. She’s been trying to get another chance to talk to Scylla but Anacostia wouldn’t budge, talking about how the first one already got her in so much trouble with Alder. Another one and Alder would definitely chain her up alongside Scylla.

“You know I can’t do that Collar.” Anacostia shut her down with a look. “Stop asking.” Raelle nodded in disappointment knowing not to pursue that topic further when she uses that glare. 

“Now while the two of you get ready, I will be with Alder helping her with mission prep.” She shot Raelle a knowing look. “Far away from the Necro building.” 

Both Raelle and Tally shot up at that. 

“You have 10 minutes to meet us at the airfield.” Then lowering her voice. “Seed 21, the seed of unlocking.” They both nodded, eyes wide at the realization of what Anacostia’s asking them to do. Anacostia turns and stalks off, leaving the two girls to stare at each other in disbelief.

“Did she just-“ Tally asked.

“Yeah.” Raelle nodded.

“You up for it? Cause I can just go by myself.” Raelle asked, giving Tally an out.

“Uh, duh! We’re a unit remember?” Tally bounced excitedly. Leave it to her to act like committing treason is just another team bonding exercise.

* * *

“You know as much as I’m enjoying our little chats, I’ve really been looking forward to my Caribbean vacation. Any chance you can move this along? I already have my bathing suit picked out.” Scylla snarked, not looking up. 

The familiar rumbling of the concrete door sliding open announced Scylla of a visitor and ever since Alder got Baylord Auto, they’ve had no use to visit her anymore except for Anacostia, who keeps showing up, trying to dig into the girl’s past.

But to her surprise, it wasn’t the sound of Anacostia’s militarized footsteps that greeted her. It was the voice she never thought she would hear again, calling her name.

“Scylla.” Raelle uttered the only thing she could the second she laid eyes on Scylla’s broken figure. This wasn’t the person she left behind in that cell. This was the person that has given up on life and is impatiently waiting to be carted off to the gallows. Raelle could hear her heart break the second Scylla’s empty eyes looked up and met hers.

“Raelle.” Scylla breathed out her name like a prayer, a lifeline she has no hope of ever holding onto.

Instead of saying anything, Raelle rushed towards the girl and kisses her with everything that she has. Everything she’s ever wanted to say poured into that one kiss, and Scylla returned with the same fervor she was granted.

“I’m so sorry.” Raelle whispered after they broke the kiss, their foreheads touching, lips centimeters apart. Raelle opens her eyes and stares right into the eyes of the woman who owns her heart.

“I love you. I’m so sorry about everything I said before. I didn’t mean any of it.” Raelle apologized again as she back sits on her knees and take Scylla’s hands in hers. And kisses it as gently as is possible, looking up at the most beautiful woman she’s ever laid eyes on.

“No Raelle. I’m the one that should be sorry. About everything. And I am. I’m so so sorry.” Scylla says and Raelle burrows her head into Scylla’s lap, sobbing. Scylla holds Raelle closer to her as the girl she loves breaks down in her lap.

“You guys we only have a few minutes.” Tally interrupted and Scylla looks at the newcomer in surprise. Raelle pulls herself off of Scylla and hastily wipes her tears away.

“Tally, come help me with this.” Raelle sniffled taking Scylla’s wrist and starts humming a seed, Tally joins by her side. Within seconds the chain unlocks itself and Raelle tore off the cuff gently so as not to disturb the skin underneath which had been rubbed raw from her days in captivity.

“What’s going on?” Scylla asked in confusion as the two gets to work on the rest of the cuffs.

“Isn’t it obvious. We’re breaking you out of here.” Tally was the one that answered smirking at the necro.

“What, no. You can’t. That’s treason.” Scylla tried pushing the girls away to stop them from unlocking the final leg shackle.

“I don’t care.” Raelle shrugged her off and broke the final chain holding Scylla captive.

“But I do. I’m not going to let you get in trouble for me.” Scylla stands up in haste but falls back down on her chair. She’s been stuck on that chair for god knows how long, her body’s going to take some time to get used to the freedom.

“Here.” Raelle offers the girl her arms who grabs hold of it and finally manages to stand up with her support. 

“I told you. No matter what happens, no matter what anybody else thinks. I’m with you.” Raelle repeated her promise… No, her oath. 

Finally, Raelle removes the silencer collar and Scylla lets out an unintended sigh of relief.

“Yeah but what about Tally?” Scylla glances at the girl now standing guard beside the couple.

“Uh, Tally can speak for herself. And the whole “no matter what happens” speech? It’s the same for me towards Raelle.” Tally said then added hastily “Platonically of course.”

“Yeah we got that Tal.” Raelle chuckles and looks at Scylla with the level of tenderness she never thought she would ever see again and at that moment Scylla could feel her cold, dark heart finally beating in her chest.

“So, you ready to leave this hell hole?”

“Hell yeah.” Scylla smirked, her eyes finally shining with light that has been snuffed out after weeks of torture.

“Here, we did as best we could. There’s a guard uniform in there. I’m sure you can find your way out of here by yourself.” Tally shoves a backpack in her arms.

“Wait, you’re not coming with? It won’t be safe for you here.” Scylla looked at her two saviors in worry.

“We can’t Scyl. Not right now. We’re deployed.” Raelle looks down in disappointment.

“What? That’s not possible. You guys should’ve easily made it into War College.”

“Oh, trust me. We know.” Tally sighed.

“Yeah, we may have done something against Alder. And this is her way of getting revenge.” Raelle admitted with a sheepish grin.

“Why am I not surprised?” Scylla chuckled putting the backpack down and opening it up to take out the aforementioned guard uniform.

“Yeah we’re accompanying her to-“ Tally chimed in but Scylla stopped her from revealing any further.

“-wait. Don’t tell me anything. I don’t want The Spree finding out and trying anything.” She pulled on the pants over her own.

“You’re not going back to them, are you?” Raelle asked, a hint of nervousness in her tone. Scylla knows Raelle wants to stop her but the girl didn’t know if she had the rights to.

“I have to.” Scylla puts on the jacket, pulling her hair out of it and zips it up. “If I don’t, they’ll hunt me down as a deserter and I won’t make it if both the Spree and the Military are chasing me.”

Done with her attire, she places both her hands on Raelle’s arms and looks at the with reassurance. “Don’t worry. Yes, I’m going back to them but I’m not going back to _be_ with them. Do you understand.”

“Yeah Scyl.” Raelle nods with an understanding smile. “I believe you.” Scylla lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Those were the three words she never in a million years thought would ever come from Raelle ever again after what she did. 

“Thank you.” Scylla says looking at Raelle with the utmost gratitude. The blonde knows it’s probably naïve of her to trust Scylla again after her betrayal when there’s so much they need to work through to gain each other’s trust back.

Raelle also knows that a part of Scylla will always empathize with what the Spree stands for just like how Raelle will always side with the Military’s ideals over the Spree’s. 

But she also knows that no matter how different their ideals may be, one thing they can agree on is that they will always choose each other over anything else. 

So no, Raelle doesn’t trust that Scylla wouldn’t rejoin the Spree once she has the chance but what she does trust is that Scylla would always be hers just like she will always be Scylla’s.

Scylla crouches down towards the backpack, looking for something.

“Did you pack a lighter?” She looks up at the two.

“Side pocket. Why?” Tally asked but she just winked at the girl. “You’ll see.”

Finding the lighter, she stands up and faces Raelle again and kisses her goodbye.

“You come back to me. Do you hear?” She orders Raelle. 

“Yes, ma’am.” Raelle answered with that cession drawl of her that Scylla finds so unbelievably attractive.

“Listen, the bond I did with your hand. It goes both ways. Just think of me.” She grips Raelle’s hands tight, not wanting to let go. Raelle looks at their hands in wonder and a twinkle of excitement flashed her face.

“When you’re back, send me an ‘L’ and we can meet up at the lighthouse. Then we’ll talk. About everything, I promise.”

“Okay.” Raelle nods.

“And Tally, thank you.” Scylla sends the girl a grateful nod but Tally wasn’t having any of it as she rushes to hug the ex-spree agent. 

“I’m sorry for...” Tally trailed off, not knowing how to voice her words.

What does she even say? I’m sorry for outing you to Anacostia? Because she’s not sorry for that. She did that to protect Raelle and she stands by that decision. But she is sorry that she’s the reason Scylla’s being locked up, starved and tortured in this very dungeon for the past few weeks. 

Spree or not, Scylla didn’t deserve that. And hearing about how Scylla even chose not to complete her mission to deliver Raelle, Tally felt sorry for the girl. 

“I know. It’s okay.” Scylla reassured her and Tally nods in understanding.

“I guess this is good bye for now.” Scylla says slinging the backpack on her back and flicks the lighter on. She brings the lighter to her face and before the two could stop her, her whole head went up in flames, revealing a different face underneath belonging to one of her prison guards. 

“Whoa.” Tally exclaimed in surprise.

“Pretty neat huh?” The voice that greeted them was of a stranger’s and both Raelle and Tally looked at her in amazement.

“That’s one way to put it.” Raelle chuckled uneasily knowing that this was what Scylla used to impersonate Helen Graves. Scylla shoots her an apologetic smile. And Raelle gives her a nod meaning they’ll talk later. 

There’s a lot they need to talk about and if Raelle ever finds out the extent of what Scylla has done for the spree she might never want to be with Scylla ever again. But Raelle deserves the truth and Scylla’s going to give it to her no matter what the outcome may be.

“Let’s go.” Scylla says and takes the first steps towards freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any tips, tricks and constructive criticism are welcome.


	2. I Love You, Shitbird.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I love you, shitbird.” If there was any way to go, this is it. Raelle may have started off as a shitbird that she thought would bring her unit down, but the woman dying beside her right now is the woman she was proud to have served with. A woman Abigail would willing give her life a thousand times over for.

“Took you long enough.” Anacostia reprimanded them as Raelle and Tally finally approached The Bat to see everyone else waiting for them. The girls apologized them hastily, looking around at their crew. General Alder and her biddies, Bridey and Adil were the only familiar faces among them.

“Have you got your affairs in order?” Anacostia asked.

“We did. Thanks.” Raelle replied giving her a grateful look and Anacostia shot her an understanding nod in response.

“Let’s head off then. Shall we?” General Alder announces then heads into the Bat, her biddies following close. The girls follow along with the others, leaving Anacostia who stayed behind in charge of Fort Salem in Alder’s absence.

“Where’s Abigail?” Adil asked whilst they were getting settled into the Bat as he noticed the absence of the taller girl’s presence. Both Raelle and Tally shakes their head in disappointment.

“She’s not coming.” Raelle answered.

“Why?”

“It’s a… long, terrible story.” Tally spoke only vaguely.

“Yup.” A familiar voice interrupted from behind them and realized it was Abigail disguised as one of the soldiers.

“Pretty much the saddest story ever told.” Abigail took off her hood, revealing herself to the entire plane. Her unit and Adil lit up in happiness.

“You didn’t think I was gonna let you two have all the fun, did you?” Abigail asked with that familiar Bellweather swagger and Tally tackles her with a hug. Raelle chuckles at their leader, leave it to Abigail to make a dramatic entrance. Raelle joins in as well.

“What’s up shitbird.”

* * *

Their journey to China was a long one and they all slept the night on the plane in some of the most uncomfortable positions. It was late at night when Alder and her biddies are asleep that the Raelle and Tally approached Abigail out of earshot of everyone and told her what they did.

“You did what!?” Abigail raised her voice in shock and the two shushed her in fear of waking the others.

“I leave you two alone for like 30 minutes, and you went and commit treason!” She stated disbelieving.

“Anacostia helped.” Raelle mumbled.

“It’s still treason. And she’s still the enemy.” Abigail reprimanded.

“It’s not as black and white as you think… She’s not a bad person.” Tally defended.

“I know Scylla Ramshorn has a doctorate when it comes to the morally grey. I don’t know if she’s good or bad, and I don’t care. What I do care about is that two people in my unit went and broke the law. If this gets out, you’ll be persecuted and treated as an enemy of the state. And I don’t know about Raelle but trust me Tally, you would not survive a day in the Caribbean prison.” Abigail whisper-yelled at the two. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It’s one thing to still love that traitor and but it’s another to commit crimes for her.

“I know what the risks were, so did Tally.” Raelle spoke, and Tally nodded in agreement. Both of them not backing down from their decision.

“Abigail, this is what you’ve been saying since the beginning. Fighting for what you believe in.” Raelle explained. “Yes, and unit unity.” Tally chimed in.

“Yeah and what is it that you believe in Raelle? The undercover agent that bought the Spree to my cousin’s wedding and got her killed? Or the one that was tasked with seducing you to recruit you to the Spree?” Abigail spat, getting angrier by the minute.

“I believe in love.” Raelle spoke so soft that they would’ve missed it if they weren’t huddled up so close. They went quiet at that, not knowing how to respond. Raelle wasn’t one to show vulnerability like that normally yet right now, it’s as clear as day on her face that there’s nothing Raelle wouldn’t do for Scylla.

Tally’s eyes went soft looking at Raelle and if they weren’t in a serious situation, she would be Aw-ing at the blonde. And although Abigail would never admit it, she would have secretly joined in as well. 

No, she never liked the necro. But she did have tremendous respect for the sacrifices that they have made for each other. When it comes to partners, all the Bellweather’s have been taught at a young age is to think it though logically. What their matrimonial lineage is and how the union could benefit the future of their family tree. 

Abigail sighed, running her hand over her face in frustration.

“Fuck. Look we need to focus on getting through this first. We’ll talk once we get back. This isn’t over.” Abigail warned the two who nodded, both properly chastised. 

There’s no use getting into this right now when tensions are high and they could be found out at any moment. Wordlessly, they broke off and went back to their separate corners to catch some sleep before entering Chinese airspace.

* * *

It was just after dawn that the plane landed in China before they broke off into two separate helicopters to make their way through the narrow mountain ranges where the Traim are hiding.

The trek through the plains weren’t easy and with Tally’s seer knowledge that they’re being watched, they’re all constantly looking over their shoulders and no rest came for the entire crew. The next morning, they finally reached the cave the Tarim were hiding in but the entrance was blocked by a solid wall that Adil eventually managed to open.

Entering the cave, they were met with open hostility. Knowing Adil, it made sense why they wouldn’t trust the military but their people were affected by the same curse Khalida was and with no other choice, they reluctantly had to accept Alder’s help.

Raelle managed to cure everyone with record time but on their way back towards their helicopters was when they were attacked. 

And to Alder’s surprise, they weren’t the Spree. It was the Camarilla, their ancient enemy. The enemy Alder was so adamant she had snuffed out. They have returned.

They had the helicopter pilots bound, gagged and tied to a stake which they then set on fire right in front of everyone and that’s when the battle began. The Camarilla, even though they were human, managed to level their playing field by using the witch’s own songs against them. 

They all had modified man-made voice boxes strapped to their necks which let them imitate their own, bastardized version of the witch’s songs.

It was a blood bath with both sides suffering maximum casualties but the worst happened when one of Alder’s biddies were inflicted with the curse. But this one took the woman right that instant with no way for Raelle to heal her. Alder regained her ages instantly and that’s when Tally made the ultimate sacrifice. She took the fallen biddie’s place and gave up her youth to save the General’s life. 

They made their way to the helicopters with what little of the troops they have left but before they could fly, the Tarim kid that Raelle had saved ran off of the helicopter.

Raelle runs after the kid and Abigail follows after them to keep guard. Raelle managed to get the kid to go back to the helicopter with Abigail by giving the kid her battle charm. But before she, herself could make it back-

“RAELLE!” Tally shouted at the top of her lungs, her age clearly showing in her voice. A Camarilla soldier managed to sneak up behind Raelle and shoves a knife right though her heart. Raelle looks down at the tip of the knife poking out of her chest, not yet fully registering her predicament. 

And then, she falls.

Abigail wind-struck the soldier through the desert and runs for her sister.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” She takes Raelle’s hand and tries linking with her dying comrade, the wound was too severe she hopes this works.

“You need to let me go.”

“You need to shut up and let me concentrate.” Abigail grips Raelle’s hands tighter, praying that linking could heal a stab wound through the heart.

“I can’t move her!” She turns towards the rest of the crew.

“You gotta break the link or I’m gonna take you with me.” Raelle choked out, there’s no use in the both of them dying for Alder’s useless crusade.

“Not gonna happen Collar.” Abigail focuses, she could feel her strength waning but she doesn’t care. She would give it all up if it would save Raelle. An explosion sounds from behind them as one of the helicopters blew up but Abigail paid them no mind except pushing everything that she has towards Raelle.

But it doesn’t seem to be enough because Raelle isn’t getting any better, and she too, falls right beside her sister.

Back at the helicopter Alder orders for Bridey to take off, knowing that there’s no helping the two. No matter how powerful a witch may be, there’s no coming back from a knife through the heart.

Leaving comrades behind is something Sarah Alder has done time and time again over the centuries, she thought she had built up an immunity against it but what she wasn’t prepared for was Tally Craven’s agonizing screams echoing through the sky as she shouted for the members of her former unit. 

“You always gotta be the hero, huh, Bellweather?” Raelle spoke, their hands still gripped tightly against one another. 

“I love you, shitbird.” If there was any way to go, this is it. Raelle may have started off as a shitbird that she thought would bring her unit down, but the woman dying beside her right now is the woman she was proud to have served with. A woman Abigail would willing give her life a thousand times over for.

Ever since Raelle learned how to heal, she has taken all sorts of injuries off of every man, woman and child that comes to her for help. But never once has someone else done the same for her. Even if they were offering, Raelle wouldn’t have let them because she knows the toll it takes and she has never cared about herself enough to let someone else take away her pain. 

All her life, she only had one goal. Get deployed early and die on the frontlines. She saw no future for herself in the military, fighting for a cause she didn’t believe in. But then Scylla happened with her whole “The way out is in.” speech, then the unit happened with the illustrious Abigail Bellweather and the pure, selfless Tally Craven.

Raelle chuckled at herself sardonically. It’s ironic. Just when she was finally starting to see a future for herself, it all gets ripped away with one moment. Her initial plan comes to pass in a most cruel way possible. 

Not only is she dying, she’s also taking someone she loves along with her, leaving their other sister to fend for herself after giving up her youth for someone that doesn’t even deserve her devotion.

“I’m so sorry Scyl.” She’s also going to be breaking Scylla’s heart when she finds out. At least she’s not a prisoner anymore. Free to live her life the way she wants, free to move on with someone else. Raelle hopes she finds a way to move on from her. She couldn’t live with herself if Scylla decides she doesn’t have anything to live for anymore and gives her life to the Spree’s cause; just like she was doing before Raelle.

The hand holding onto Abigail starts warming up and she feels a sudden surge of power emanating through it. Abigail notices it too and they both stared at their hands as it starts to glow an unnaturally bright light before a massive pulse explodes through it.

They both felt a strange calming darkness envelope them, cocooning them, and soon they drifted off into nothingness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any tips, tricks and constructive criticism are welcome.


	3. I Know You're In Love With My Daughter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s okay. I know you’re in love with my daughter. Love makes you do stupid things sometimes.” Willa Collar grabs a spoon from the drawer to her right and places it in the bowl.

“The way over is under.” Scylla quoted the Spree motto at the girl sitting at the entrance of the Spree cell.

“The way out is in.” the girl answers, letting Scylla pass. She enters the once familiar room and takes in the sight of everything that has changed since her last visit, which isn’t much except for the people. 

Most people don’t really stay long here, they’ll only come back for debrief or if they’re on the run, hiding from the Military after their latest assignment. Much like what Scylla’s doing now.

This was the place Scylla came to after a Spree agent found her at a dodger community, turns out the dodgers are one of the main places the Spree looks to for recruits. People like Scylla, who have lost everything to the Military are easy pickings for the Spree.

She entered the kitchen following the familiar scent of her handler’s mushroom stew. For whatever reason, Mrs W would always cook her that after every mission, even before she enlisted and found her specialization. 

Like she thought, she was immediately greeted by Mrs W cooking the mushrooms on the stove much like each and every time she returns. The blonde woman, who she’s been working with for the past year turns around upon hearing her entrance.

The woman looks at her in disappointment, which isn’t surprising considering she did fail her mission. And not only that, they probably know she’s the one that told Alder about Baylord Auto. So, she knows she’s in hot water with the Spree, and she’s prepared for that. But what she wasn’t prepared for were the next words that came out of the woman’s mouth.

“You were supposed to bring me my daughter.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Scylla pauses in her step.

“Where is she?” Mrs W, or Willa Collar demands.

“Raelle Collar… is your daughter?”

“You’re Willa Collar.” Scylla looks at the woman in bewilderment, finally connecting the dots. How did she not realize it before? Those eyes… They’re the exact same ones that drew her in and kept her prisoner. 

“Yes. I am.” Willa Collar turns the stove off and pours the mushroom stew into a bowl.

“But… but why? Raelle thought you were dead.” If anything, Willa’s death was the main reasoning behind Raelle’s suicide mission. Raelle just couldn’t see a future for herself anymore after hearing her hero died in the most gruesome way possible. 

“I had my reasons” Willa Collar states, as vaguely as possible. As is her relationship with the woman in the past. She would give her missions, only letting Scylla in on the bare minimum stating everything else as a need-to-know basis.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I would’ve-” Scylla moves towards the kitchen island, gripping it so hard her knuckles were turning white. She would normally just take what the woman gives her and go with it but this is Raelle she’s talking about.

The amount of anger that flashes across her the second she realized how much this woman has hurt Raelle is something she’s never felt before. It scared Scylla how much power Raelle has over her.

“What, brought her in sooner instead of disobeying your orders like some love-struck fool?” Willa Collar asks, placing her hands on her hips with a knowing look.

“I uh…” Scylla flushes.

“It’s okay. I know you’re in love with my daughter. Love makes you do stupid things sometimes.” Willa Collar grabs a spoon from the drawer to her right and places it in the bowl.

“I’m sure she told you that I married a civilian.” Scylla nods.

“And that is the only reason why I’m letting you off easy. Your mission is still the same. Find her and bring her here.” She places the bowl in front of Scylla with a thud.

“Get some rest. As soon as we get any intel on Raelle’s whereabouts you’re going after her.” She brushes some hair off of Scylla face in a motherly way as Scylla tries to reign in her anger. There’s no use going after Willa Collar in her own safehouse.

“And Scylla. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you of what happens if you fail.”

“Yes, Ma’am” Scylla snarks, the thought of the Spree’s threats didn’t scare her anymore. When she first came to the safehouse she was a terrified little sixteen-year-old that had just seen her parents murdered right in front of her eyes. 

This gave the Spree the only leverage they needed to mold her into someone they could control. Giving her the safety she needed to want to stay, but also the constant threats to keep her loyal. The constant push and pull kept Scylla on the course that they had planned.

But the past few years at Fort Salem has Scylla reconsidering everything. No, she would never even consider turning on the Spree to join the military, they’re both the same. Both being extreme in their ways and only considering the end result no matter how many innocent lives are lost along the way. 

She _is_ starting to see that there are other ways to get what she wanted, nothing is ever black or white, one or the other. She doesn’t have to play neither Willa’s nor Alder’s game. She can create her own. Find her own path. 

* * *

Raelle wakes up, the last thing she remembers was the darkness and succumbing to it thinking “This is it.” She doesn’t feel like she’s dying anymore, but this can’t be what hell looks like. And it’s definitely not heaven because she knows there’s no chance that’s where she’s headed.

Beside her Abigail wakes, looking as confused as ever, and they both pull themselves up neither of them releasing their grip on one another. 

They’re still on earth, she can just feel it. But they’re not in the Tarim Basin anymore or at least not anywhere near where the battle took place. They’re on a massive desert plain that spans every direction through their surroundings, but over the horizon she could see mountain ranges in the distance with a hint of vegetation at its base. But they’re far too small in the distance for them to be able to reach it without any supplies.

Raelle looks down at her knife wound and realizes that it’s healed, and not only that she feels a new sense of vigor. Whatever that explosion was, it recharged her in ways not even sex has done before. She looks at Abigail and it seems the taller woman is also feeling the power coursing through her veins. They both stared at each other, somehow understanding one another without having to say a thing.

They started walking and it seems they’re surrounded by a halo of bright white light that follows their every move. The air around them feels charged up and they seem to be leaving a trail of black spores releasing into the sky. Raelle glances behind her, besides her connection with Abigail, she could also feel a new connectedness with the… mushrooms? that appears to growing in waves along their trail.

Raelle stops in her path, Abigail notices the mushrooms too and she gives Raelle a questioning look. 

“What now, shitbird?”

“You tell me, Bellweather.”

* * *

The next morning, Scylla decides to go for a run to get away from the safehouse for a bit. There’s a forest near the house and Scylla heads straight for it. As a necro she’s always felt at home there and that’s where she feels the most connected. 

And that’s also how she notices someone following her. Whoever it was does a pretty good job at being covert but she could feel a slight disturbance in the energy around her. One not belonging to the wildlife.

She leads them into a dead end while she hides behind a tree and waits for her mark to enter. Just as she thought, the person stealthily stalks into where they thought Scylla entered and realizes they were trapped. 

“You know you should know better than to follow a Spree agent who’s also a necro into their home turf.” Scylla approaches the figure, announcing herself. The figure has her back towards her and is wearing joggers and a hoodie with the hood thrown over their head.

“I suppose you’re right.” Anacostia turns around, coming face to face with Scylla. Scylla tenses as she realizes who it was and feels around the woods, searching for any signs of an extraction team.

“Relax, I came alone.” Anacostia puts her hands up to placate the girl.

“What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t think I helped Collar break you out, out of the goodness of my heart, did you?”

“I guess not. Nothing ever comes free with you people, does it?” She folded her arms looking at the drill sergeant in annoyance.

“What do you want?” Scylla asks tapping her foot impatiently.

“What are the Spree planning?” And Scylla couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“You’ve got to kidding me. And let me guess if I don’t tell you what you want to know, you’re taking me back to that god-forsaken dungeon?” 

“I’m hoping we can come to an understanding. That your time with us has you reconsidering your allegiances.” Anacostia scrutinized the girl in the same mannerisms she did when they had her prisoner. And it takes everything inside Scylla to shake away the cold feeling of being chained up and locked away in their dungeon.

“Yeah…” Scylla lets out shakily, letting go of her bravado for a second. She finds a fallen log and goes to sit on it. Anacostia joins by her side. 

Call it what you will, maybe it’s Stockholm Syndrome, but Scylla feels a sense of comfort with Anacostia. They formed this strange bond out of both of their messed-up pasts and Scylla feels like Anacostia’s the only one that can understand her in a way not even Raelle does.

“But it’s not to the military either…” Scylla admits. “It’s to-“

“-yourself.” Anacostia finishes and Scylla lets out a dry chuckle.

“I finally have a reason to be selfish.” Scylla looks at her unmarked palm tracing it with her finger, hoping to see some sort of sign from Raelle.

“Any news?” She looked at Anacostia hopefully.

“Not yet.” Anacostia shakes her head, and only then did Scylla notice the worry marring the older woman’s face. Anacostia may have trouble showing it but she does care. Their upbringing indoctrinated them into thinking that acting cold and distant is the only way to show your strength. But lately, they’ve both started to realize that it might be the opposite.

* * *

“No, no please! We have to go back!” Tally begged and pleaded as they flew off, leaving her two sisters behind. “They could still be alive!”

“My daughter, I’m so sorry.” Sarah Alder tries calming the new biddy while the others looked over in concern, all not uttering a word as usual.

“Even if they survived the knife, there’s no way they could’ve survived the explosion.” Alder explained, needing Tally to get over her grief. Alder and the biddies are connected in ways both physical and mental. And the emotional state that Tally is in right now is affecting everyone in the bond.

“No no! This can’t be it. This can’t be how it ends.” Tally was hysterical as she sobbed into Alder’s arms as the woman incapacitates her in her grip and cradles her like a mother would their kid.

“You’ll be okay daughter. You’ll get through this.” Alder coos while shooting a look at the other biddies, they all nodded in understanding and starts vocalizing a low humming seed while Alder speaks soothing words into Tally’s ears. Not long afterwards, the woman falls asleep in the General’s lap.

“General, shouldn’t we at least try to retrieve their corpses?” Bridey asks the General once the helicopter is safely enroute to the airfield. While she only served as Abigail’s bodyguard for a few days, she cares about Abigail a considerable amount. Maybe because she sees herself in the girl; stubborn, headstrong, and willing to give her life for her unit. 

The biddies hissed at the pilot while Alder looks at the woman in annoyance. Gone was the caring motherly act she was putting on for Tally. Only the calm, calculated mask of a woman who has survived and grieved through hundreds of years for it to affect her as she crafts her narrative.

“There were no corpses Sergeant. Their bodies were too damaged by the bomb the Camarilla set off as a last-ditch effort. They both died heroically, sacrificing their lives so that we could get away.” Alder announced, looking around at the passengers. 

Adil looks at Alder in disgust, but decides to keep his mouth shut. Bridey grips the control wheel so tight, it’s a miracle they’re still in the air. The other remaining soldiers and the biddies, except for the sleeping Tally, nods, knowing that the General’s word is law. If that’s what she says happened, then that’s what happened. 

* * *

Scylla enters the safehouse after her talk with Anacostia which only left her with more questions. The woman refuses the explain why she followed Scylla, yet it’s obvious she’s running this op alone. There’s been no attack on the safehouse and there were no soldiers in the woods to recapture Scylla.

Instead of her turning Scylla, did Scylla actually manage to open Anacostia’s eyes to the truth about Alder? 

Scylla chuckles to herself. If someone like Anacostia starts questioning Alder, Scylla can’t imagine the ripple effects it would have on Fort Salem. Sarah Alder is nothing without the witches’ blind devotion. If her followers realize that a woman Alder basically raised, is doubting her motives then it would be a massive hit to the perfect facade that Alder put up to gain the witches’ loyalty.

Reaching the living room, she finds Willa Collar talking with two fresh faces; both looking scared but eager. Just like she was when they first brought her here. Willa Collar sprouts her propaganda at the two new recruits who seem to be eating it up. 

Before long, they’ll be taught to change faces and to fill balloons with beautiful songs that makes you commit suicide. The killing though, they’re just a result of that. It’s not something they teach you specifically but it’s something you know you’ll be expected to do. And you definitely _don’t_ want to fail. Scylla learned that the hard way.

>>>flashback<<<

Pressing the up button for the elevator, Scylla gulps anxiously. She’s been with the Spree for about two years now and this is her first big assignment. She willingly conscripted into the Military about one year ago under orders of the Spree but they had told her to do nothing except to let them train her, make her stronger and rise up in their ranks. She suspected that the Spree already has people in positions of power in Fort Salem and that they had no use for someone that’s not even in war college yet. 

So she stayed the course, focused on her studies and graduated at the top of her class, all the way to war college. And it’s a few weeks before she starts her second year that her new Spree handler Mrs W contacted her with her first assignment. She was supposed to report to the Spree warehouse, Baylord Auto, no questions asked.

“Sixth floor huh?” The janitor asks, entering the elevator with Scylla. Scylla looks at the man, and gives him an innocent smile.

“There is no sixth floor here.” She tells him, her voice changes, more resonant.

“There is no sixth floor here.” He repeats as if in a daze, then leaves the elevator at the fifth floor, his interaction with the Spree agent long forgotten.

“The way out is in.” The woman greets her.

“The way over is under.” Scylla replies easily, the words burned into her brain.

“I’ve been expecting you, Scylla.” The woman gives her conspiratorial smile then asks her to follow. With rows of shelves full of supplies, there’s nothing to show that this isn’t your typical warehouse, except for when they rounded a corner and reached a worktable filled with blue balloons. 

“Do I get to choose my own vessel?” Scylla asks, she already has some ideas about what her signature vessel should be. Balloons just seem too… bland for her taste.

“Everyone gets a balloon first.” The woman replies and a loud muted scream sounds off in the distance.

“What was that?”

“That my darling is the sound of suffering.” Scylla shivers, it all starting to become real what she’s about to do. Killing humans.

“Gotta break a few eggs, right? Don’t be nervous.” The woman hands Scylla a balloon.

“Now is the moment you stop being complicit in their evil. Go.” Scylla receives her instructions and heads back to her car shakily. 

Her time with the Spree and at Fort Salem has helped her create a divide between the two. Witches and Humans. Us and Them. It’s easy to think of the humans as some separate species when she’s constantly surrounded by people that keeps speaking as if they are.

But that’s not really the truth, take away her ability to sing and there’s really nothing separating them anymore. Can she really do this? It seems easy in theory. Just pop one balloon and kill hundreds, maybe thousands of humans in one fell swoop. 

The same humans that have kept her kind in chains, having her people fight some useless war that they, themselves started over their greed and their hunger for power. And these people she’s about to kill, they may not have blood on their hands but by sitting by and doing nothing while her people are carted off to be war-meat, they’re complicit in the evil.

Scylla places the balloon in her backseat, adjusts the rearview mirror and takes the cigarette lighter out of its socket. She needed to change her appearance if she’s about to commit mass murder, and presses the lighter right at the center of her forehead.

The spell takes hold instantly and her whole head went up in flames. Gone were her brown locks and her sky-blue eyes, in her place was a blonde woman with brown eyes she met once at a café. Scylla flirted with the girl for five minutes and it was enough for her to capture her features in case she needed to use them later.

Scylla shakes herself off, trying to adjust to the new features, and starts the engine. It was an hour drive to the Megamall and she managed to make it right as it opens. The mall wasn’t crowded yet so Scylla decides to wait, as per her instructions.

After about fifteen minutes, she decides it was getting suspicious so she gets out of her car and enters a café just outside the mall. She ordered a cup of coffee and gets a seat near the window which has a clear view of the mall.

“Mommy I want to ride the horsies!” A kid exclaimed startling Scylla. She turns to her right and sees a family of three, the two women in their early thirties with a five-year-old boy. They appear to be grabbing some breakfast before they take their kid to the amusement park inside the Megamall.

“And you’ll get to ride the horsies baby. But you have to finish your breakfast first.” The woman chides her son who nods excitedly and start shoveling the eggs until his mouth is about to burst.

“All done!” the kid shouts, or tries to with a mouth full of food which only comes out as a bunch of garbled nonsense. 

“Nice try darling. But you have to swallow too.” The other mom giggles at their kid’s antics like they’re the funniest thing she’s seen. 

Scylla, without meaning to, lets out a chuckle as well. But then seemingly starting to realize why she’s here, she turns back towards the window and tries to ignore them as best she can. 

Which is impossible when they’re right next to her being the happiest, most beautiful family she’s ever seen. Scylla couldn’t help but let out a few tears, seeing what she’s lost and what she’s going to be taking away from them. She joined the Spree so that she could make the lives of her people better, but at what cost?

The Salem Accords tore her family apart, they had her on the run all her life and she had to see her parents murdered right in front of her, all because they didn’t want to enlist to fight someone else’s war. If she does this, she will be the one tearing families apart. Leaving kids without parents and parents without kids. Whole family lines could be wiped out with one pop of a balloon. 

She thinks of her mother, the woman that always puts everybody else first even at the expense of herself. And she thinks of her father, the man that would always smile even at the face of death and tell her that “Faith is everything” She just has to believe. She says she fights in their honor but what is she honoring if she does this.

She couldn’t do this anymore. She runs out of the café and heads straight for her car. Her hands shaking heavily as she puts the key in the ignition and drives out of the parking lot and heads straight back where she came.

Once she’s safely out of traffic, she pulls her phone out of the dashboard and dials Meg; the only friend she made when she joined the Spree cell. The girl is a firm believer of the cause but they’ve gotten close enough to be able to trust each other over the Spree.

She pulls over halfway between the warehouse and the Megamall and tells Meg everything. The girl arrives within fifteen minutes and tries consoling a hysterical Scylla. 

“I just, I can’t. They’re people just like we are with families and friends and children- oh god, the children.” They meet outside the car on the deserted road and Scylla breaks down as Meg holds her in her arms.

“But you have to Scylla. They won’t let you off easy if you failed. Besides, they deserve it remember? They’re the reason our parents are dead. They’re the reason we never had a childhood. A Normal life Scylla. Why do they get to have a normal life and we don’t? Just because we’re born different!?” Meg scoffs, it’s clear she feels nothing for the humans.

“Please Meg, I can’t-I can’t.” Scylla continues to sob, her breathing getting difficult. Meg realizes there’s nothing that would get Scylla to change her mind so she makes up hers. She reaches through the window to take the lighter from its socket and gives it to Scylla.

“Change back.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.” Scylla takes the lighter from Meg and presses it into her forehead, she changes back into her real face. Then Meg takes the lighter from Scylla and presses it into her forehead, taking the appearance of the blonde woman from Scylla. Only when she’s finished her transformation that Scylla realized what Meg is planning.

“No Meg. You can’t do this. Please don’t kill those people!” Scylla tries.

“No Scylla, listen to me. This attack has been in the works for months, if not you then it’s someone else. You’re just delaying the inevitable.” Meg explains but Scylla just shakes her head.

“This way, the mission still gets done and you don’t get in trouble.”

“No please.” Scylla tries but Meg is already in the driver’s seat, locking the doors and pulling up the windows. Scylla bangs on the windows and tries opening the doors but it’s no use. The girl has already put the car in gear and skids off, leaving Scylla stranded on the road, bawling her eyes out.

An hour later, Scylla found a bench to sit on and she’s finally calmed down when the car reappears, stopping right in front of Scylla. Meg rolls down the window and Scylla notices that the balloon isn’t there anymore. The mission is completed but Scylla doesn’t have any tears left in her to cry. She just feels numb.

“Get in.” Meg shouts, she’s back in her own skin and a satisfied smile on her face. Scylla stands up to enter the passenger seat when another car appears, skidding to a stop right in front of theirs. The door opens and Mrs W stalks out of the car like a woman on a mission.

Both Meg and Scylla looks at each other like a deer in headlights and Meg scrambles out of the car as the two went and meet her halfway.

“Mrs W. We-“before Meg could say anything Mrs W. windstruck the girl who collides against their car.

“What are you doing?” Scylla runs for the girl who is groaning against the car. 

“I know everything Scylla. Did you really think you could get away with it?” Mrs W towers over the girl and looks at her full of anger.

“No one in my cell has ever failed. EVER!” She grabs Scylla by the throat and pins her against the hood. Then she turns towards Meg and starts humming a seed. Meg grabs her throat as she starts gasping for air.

“Stop it! You’re killing her!” Scylla tries to break the hold but to no avail.

“That’s the point.” Mrs W smiles at Scylla.

“Stop it. Please! Punish me! It’s my fault!” Scylla begs as the girl starts turning purple under Mrs W’s spell.

“I know. But lucky for you my dear, we already have a mission planned for you.” Meg drops, and Mrs W lets go of Scylla who instantly scrambles to check on her only friend. She feels no pulse. 

She charges Mrs W in anger but the woman was ready for her. She freezes her in her step with the same seed and starts choking her just enough so that she pays attention.

“We already told you not to fail us Scylla. Now look at what you’ve done.” The woman circles Scylla as if a lion circling their prey.

“There’s a new cadet joining on conscription day. Her name is Raelle Collar. Do whatever you can to bring her to us.” She grabs Scylla’s chin and stares straight into her eyes.

“This is your final chance. Do not fail us.” Scylla nods, terrified. The woman lets out a satisfied smile and releases Scylla from the spell. Scylla falls to the ground as she starts gasping for the air that was denied before. 

She hears the engines roar and the car skids off in a hurry, back towards wherever they came from. Leaving Scylla broken on the ground, with the corpse of her dead friend and her beat up car in the middle of nowhere.

>>>flashback<<<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any tips, tricks and constructive criticism are welcome.


	4. I Love You Too, Bellweather.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t regret it you know?” Abigail breaks the silence, nudging the girl with her knee.
> 
> “Regret what?”
> 
> “Dying with you.” Abigail answers, and Raelle smiles.
> 
> “I know… I love you too, Bellweather.”

Anacostia enters Fort Salem, flashing her credential at the gate and looks around in paranoia. She’s committed several crimes against the state, starting with releasing Scylla, then continuing to stay in contact with a known terrorist without informing her General. 

Most of the grounds are carrying out their affairs as usual but when she reached the General’s office, she noticed more commotion than normal. Not only that, it seems everyone’s high on tension and there’s a certain sense of fear in the air.

She pushes the door open and it is complete chaos, it seems the General just returned from the mission and decides to head straight to debriefing which gives Anacostia a sense of how much danger they are in.

Aside everyone of high position from the General’s cabinet, she sees Adil, Khalida and also what appears to be Khalida’s people from the Tarim cell which includes a little boy in an orange shirt, even younger than Khalida. Alder’s biddies sit at the far back, all looking like they’ve been in battle along with Alder. 

She doesn't see the Bellweather Unit anywhere.

“General.” Anacostia announces herself to the General. The General look up and she could instantly notice the terror in Sarah Alder’s eyes. Which shocks her because it’s something she’s never seen before in her entire lifetime of being with the General.

“Anacostia. I’ve been waiting for you.” 

“Apologies General, it appears our prisoner has escaped and I’ve been leading a manhunt for her.” Anacostia replies her practiced speech, controlling herself so that she doesn’t show any tells. She knows the General would be furious and she’s prepared to take the blame. But to her relief, the General just sighs as if it’s a minor inconvenience and waves it off.

“Call it off. She’s just a nobody. We have a bigger crisis on our hands.” This puts Anacostia on high alert. “General?”

“Our ancient enemy has returned. The Camarilla.” The General explains.

“That’s not possible.” Anacostia tries, so many of her people have been lost to the Camarilla in the past until Alder managed to wipe them off the planet.

“It appears they’ve made a comeback. They’re who have been attacking the Bellweathers, and they ambushed us in the Tarim Basin.”

“And the Bellweather unit?” She had a bad feeling ever since she noticed their absence the second she entered, but a part of her was hoping they’re just being sent away because they’re not yet qualified to join briefings like this.

“All but one survived.” Alder shakes her head.

“No… Who?” Anacostia gasped. She knows she’s showing more grief than she’s been taught to but she doesn’t care.

Alder motioned with her head to the biddy sitting by herself at the farthest corner and Anacostia follows her gaze. 

“Craven?” She finally realizes that the bright and shiny bird of the Bellweather Unit has replaced one of Alder’s biddies. She approaches the girl-no, woman sitting by herself in her grief and kneels right in front of her, taking her hand. The woman that has instantly aged by about 50 years within the past few days looks at Anacostia, a broken shell of the bright young woman she used to know.

“Thank you for your sacrifice.” Anacostia stands, cradles Craven’s head with both hands and places a kiss on the crown of the woman’s head.

* * *

“Just do it. It’s better than feeling your obvious pining from over here.” Abigail huffs. They’ve set up camp smack dab in the middle of nowhere because there really isn’t anywhere else and Raelle have spent the past thirty minutes staring at the palm deciding whether to send a signal to Scylla throught their bond or not.

“I can’t. I don’t wanna give her false hope.” Raelle shrugs and puts her palms down staring at the fire with a longing sigh.

“Seriously?” Abigail looks at the woman incredulously. Whatever energy that came out of them after their supposed death has tapered off after a few hours, so no more white light following them, no black spores and thankfully, no more mushrooms growing out of their trail either. Their connection is still intact, albeit slightly muted and it’s possible it’s going to taper off slowly but surely as well.

But while it’s still intact Abigail can just feel every emotion the blonde is feeling and the most potent ones are those she has for the necro, and it’s hitting Abigail in waves, making her physically nauseous.

“What if she can help us? What if she can somehow use whatever Spree Work she used to create that bond to find us?” Abigail asks, getting help from a Spree is something she would never ever consider but she knows they’re not going to survive out here more than a few days and she’ll take whatever help she can get.

“I thought you didn’t trust her?” Raelle retorted.

“I trust that traitor as far as I can throw her. But I’ve been in your memories enough to know I can trust her with your life at least. So, I’m in turn trusting that you’ll be able to keep your girlfriend from murdering me when it comes to it.” Raelle chuckles, shaking her head.

“It’s still weird, you probably know more about me now than even Scylla does.”

“Yeah well, it goes both ways.” Abigail shoots the girl a threatening glare, not knowing what memories the girl has access to.

It's the most recent ones of Raelle's that she can remember very vividly as if they're her own but the older memories, she can feel they're there but they feel almost out of reach.

Like a kite on a string, if she just grabs it and pulls, she can probably have access to it. But she doesn't, already feeling like she's intruding on the blonde's most private moments. 

Some moments... she would most definately like to have gone her entire life without seeing.

“Don’t worry Abigail. I won’t tell anyone about your crush on Libba.” Raelle teases making the girl red in her face for the first time since they’ve known each other. 

Abigail, wanting to act mad but fails and she too chuckles along with Raelle over their respective crushes over their fallen friend. A quiet introspective moment passes over them as the both of them relishes in their own memories.

“I don’t regret it you know?” Abigail breaks the silence, nudging the girl with her knee.

“Regret what?”

“Dying with you.” Abigail answers, and Raelle smiles.

“I know… I love you too, Bellweather.”

* * *

“I need you to find me another sacrifice.” Alder orders Anacostia once they were alone. The Biddies have been sent to their shared quarters along with Tally for their much needed rest.

“Of course, General. She’ll be here first thing tomorrow morning.” Anacostia was relieved that she didn’t have to fight with Alder to release Tally. Something she was already planning to the second she found out about the girl.

“Tally Craven’s a gifted soldier. Headstrong… Eyes wide open… Definately _not_ the characteristics of a Biddy.” Alder explains and Anacostia understood. Alder isn’t releasing the girl out of the kindness of her own heart. 

She’s only doing this because just one day with Tally's non-stop questions, and her disregard for the Biddy rules is putting her leadership in jeopardy. Tally Craven’s headstrong nature also seems to be affecting the link between Alder and the other Biddies.

Not to mention, the bond allows Tally access into Alder’s memories. Alder manages to block her from having access to most of it but the General worries what the girl could do with what little she has seen from her mind.

“And let Craven know she’ll be doing the eulogy.”

“But it’s customary to-“ Anacostia starts but Alder puts her hands up, cutting her off. “No matter how brief, she was my Biddy. That takes precedence over any other family lineages.” 

“Of course. I’ll let her know.” Anacostia nods and the General dismisses her but right before she pushed the door open-

“And Anacostia?”

“Yes, General?”

“I know it was you that let the Ramshorn girl go.” Anacostia freezes in her step and turns around, awaiting what Alder would do. Of course, with every other information that she’s been bombarded with ever since Alder got back from the mission, she missed the simple fact that Tally Craven’s bond with Alder goes both ways.

Not only does Craven has access to the General’s memories, Alder has access to hers as well.

“I hope you know what you’re doing Sergeant.” Alder warns and finally dismisses her without another word. It seems Alder only suspects Anacostia of releasing Scylla so that she could run a double agent inside the Spree.

She doesn’t suspect Anacostia of turning against Alder in any way which is to be expected since she’s never given the General any reason to. If only the General knows about seed of doubt that has been planted, growing inside her protégé’s mind with every unnecessary death, every false tale the General spins.

* * *

“Get up, Shitbird!” Abigail shouted at the blonde who's on her hands and knees on the ground. The sun is beating down on them and they’ve drank the last sip of water from their canteens. 

They’ve been walking through this desert plain for three days now, trying to head towards the closest mountain range but they’ve only made it halfway towards it when their supplies ran out.

Raelle hasn’t had a sip of water since yesterday and now the sun’s overhead. To say she’s thirsty would be an understatement. Her tongue feels like sandpaper and every time she swallows it feels like there’s shards of glass inside her throat. 

“I just… need some… rest.” Raelle falls sideways and lays down on the scorching hot ground.

“No, don’t you dare give up on me. Come one get up, we’re almost there.” Abigail grabs the girl’s arm and pulls her up. The girl, unwillingly follows Abigail; her body no different from a puppet with its strings cut.

“No, Abigail… We’re not going to make it. What’s the use?” Raelle just wants to give up. Her whole body hurts, and if she’s going to go anyways why not just give up now?

“Dammit, we’re going to make it! We did not just come back from the dead only to die again just because of some heat. Think about Tally. We need to go get her un-Biddified, and you promised both your dad and Scylla that you’d come back. You’re not going to let them down. Not on my watch.” Abigail shakes the girl leaning against her with all her weight, eyes closed, almost passed out. 

Raelle chuckles weakly.

“You hate Scylla.”

“You’re coming with me whether you want to or not. So help me goddess if I have to drag your ass through this desert then I will. Either help make this easier for the both of us and pull yourself together or not. It’s on you.” Raelle squints her eyes open and looks at the Bellweather, trying to gauge whether she’s being serious or not.

“I have an idea.” Raelle finally manages to pull herself upright by herself and takes both of Abigail’s hands in hers.

“What?”

 _**“Ask, and it shall be given you.”**_ Raelle starts off mumbling softly and Abigail looks at her in confusion. _**“Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and-“**_ Abigail finally catches up onto what the blonde’s planning and breaks up their hand in that instant.

“Raelle, what the hell!” She’s furious now.

“I’m just trying to help. I’ll take your pain and you can go on without me.” Raelle explains nonchalantly, it’s obvious she’s given up.

“How could you even think that’s what I would want?” She shouted.

“I don’t know Abigail! I just want this to stop, okay!”

“I just… I just want to stop hurting. I mean… why me?” Raelle looks at the ground, she couldn’t bring herself to face the girl when all her guilt and self-pity comes tumbling through her mind.

Abigail grabs Raelle’s hand and suddenly Abigail is hit with an overwhelming wave as everything Raelle is thinking flashes through their bond towards Abigail.

_**10-year-old Raelle being bullied by humans for having a witch mother and by the witches for having a human father…** _

_**11-year-old Raelle sitting at the porch with her birthday cake, hoping that her mother would suddenly appear to surprise her from war…** _

_**12-year-old Raelle having to take care of her passed-out father after one of his many graveyard shifts…** _

_**13-year-old Raelle sneaking into her mother’s room to sleep next to the broken shell that is Willa Collar…** _

_**14-year-old Raelle crying under a tree after her first love broke up with her after finding out she was a witch…** _

_**15-year-old Raelle sneaking into her mother’s room to try to heal the woman who wakes up and shouts at her to never try that again…** _

_**16-year-old Raelle always in pain from using her healing abilities to help her father out with some income…** _

_**17-year-old Raelle finding out about her mother’s gruesome death…** _

_**18-year-old Raelle finding out about Scylla’s supposed death and eventually her betrayal…** _

Abigail gasps after the flashes stopped, she fell to her knees gasping for breath. Tears started flooding her eyes as she tries to process everything that she's seen in Raelle's mind.

“I… I didn’t know Raelle. I’m so so sorry.” Abigail looks up at the woman who has gone through so much pain in her life and has only come out stronger. She finally gets it. It's not just the memories she saw, she could feel everything Raelle was feeling at that moment. All the pain, hurt and the anger that has been festering inside Raelle at such a young age.

She finally gets why Raelle is the way she is. Why Raelle is hell bent on getting deployed early and getting blown up in the battle field. Why she would always jump in to save other people’s lives with no regard for her safety.

Raelle looks down at the woman from where she’s standing. Looking at her with indifference.

“It’s not your fault.” She shrugs nonchalantly.

“But don’t you see Raelle. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. You’ve gotten through everything I never would’ve been able to. And you’re going to get through this too.” Raelle gives the Bellweather her hand and helps pull the woman to her feet.

“And then what? The cycle just repeats itself. I’m tired Abigail. I’m cursed. I have to go through a dozen bad things just to have one good thing in my life. What kind of life is that?”

“One well earned.” Abigail says, putting her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“I can’t promise you that everything’s going to be okay. Because it’s not. Life is shitty. The universe takes what it wants from us then spits us back out once it’s done. It’s always going to be one shitstorm after another, and another and another.”

“Gee, great pep-talk.”

“I’m not finished shitbird.”

“Yes, this is a shitshow. But you’re not the only one leading the show, not anymore. You have me and you have Tally. The only thing I can promise you, is that no matter what happens, you will always have us fighting alongside you. We’re a unit, remember? At the end of the day, isn’t that all that matters?”

“I guess it is.” Raelle smiles, no she still doesn't believe that they're going to get through this. It's just the facts. There's no way they're going to make it through this desert with no more supplies. But for now, she's going to keep going; if only to humor her headstrong Leader.

* * *

“You know it’s not nice to keep following me into the woods like some sort of stalker. I’m a taken woman. What would the neighbors think?” Scylla snarked, she felt Anacostia follow her the second she left the safehouse so she headed straight for their meeting spot and waited for the woman to catch up.

Anacostia doesn’t say anything as she enters the spot and she pulls off the hood of her jacket. She looks at Scylla with a mixture of dread and pity.

“What’s going on?” Scylla looks at the woman in concern.

“General Alder returned from the mission.”

“And?” Scylla pauses. Hopeful.

“They were ambushed by the Camarilla… There was a bomb. Abigail and Raelle sacrificed themselves so that everyone else could get away.” Anacostia relayed what she had heard from the briefing. Scylla’s face went from confusion, to shock, to disbelief.

“What? No? That’s not possible. No. She’s not dead. I would’ve-” Scylla looks at her palm in confusion and then back at Anacostia. Anacostia places a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry Scylla. I know how much you loved her.”

“No!” She shrugs the woman’s hand off of her.

“No, I’m serious Anacostia. This isn’t me being in denial.” Scylla shouts.

“She’s not dead. Whatever General Alder told you was a lie. I would’ve known if she was dead.” 

“What are you talking about?” Scylla takes a few deep breaths and tries to pull herself together before she starts to explain.

“Right before the Bellweather wedding, I did something. I linked us using something outside of canon. I can still feel her on the other side.” She showed Anacostia her palm as evidence.

“Ramshorn, there’s nothing on it.” Anacostia sighs, she wants so badly to believe what the girl is telling is true but she’s not going to let herself hope without any sort of tangible evidence.

“Hold on, let me try something.” Scylla starts drawing the S on her palm.

* * *

“Come on, just a few more steps.” Abigail and Raelle has their arms around each other’s shoulders as they slowly make their way pulling one another towards their destination.

“You’ve said that ten times already.” Raelle chuckles.

“And I’ll say it a hundred times more. We’re almost there.” They both know it’s not, their destination still looks small enough that they know they’re not going to be able to make it.

“Wait-“ Raelle stops as she feels a slight burning sensation on her palm.

“What now? I really don’t have to strength to give you that speech again.” Abigail puts her hands on her thighs as she pants.

“No look.” Raelle shows Abigail her palm with the newly minted S on it.

“Is that…?”

“Scylla.” Raelle grins, her face softening as she looks at the S.

“Are you going to signal back?”

“I don’t... I don’t know.” Raelle looks torn as she stares at her palm and at Abigail.

“I think you should. Even as a goodbye. She would want to know that you thought about her even at your last breath.” Abigail advices, putting her animosity towards the Spree agent aside for the sake of her sister.

Raelle nods and closes her eyes, focusing her thoughts towards the woman who owns her heart and starts to trace an R over the S.

* * *

Anacostia looks at the necro in concern. The girl has been staring at her unmarked palm for the past few minutes after she has traced what appears to be an S on it.

So far nothing has happened and Anacostia is getting impatient. She only came because she wanted Scylla to hear about her girlfriend’s death from her and she has to get back to base before Alder finds out she had left again.

“Look Ramshorn, I’m sorry but-“before she could finish, Scylla flinches and an R starts appearing on her palm in the form of a burn mark.

“She’s alive. I knew it! I knew she’s alive.” Scylla laughs wholeheartedly, and Anacostia holds Scylla’s palm and stares at it in disbelief.

“But then… Where is she?”

* * *

A now youthful Tally Craven slowly pushes the door to their dorm room open and enters, secretly hoping that the past few days have been a dream and that both Abigail and Raelle are still alive and waiting for her inside their shared quarters.

Abigail would greet her with her usual high and mighty lectures about being tardy and Raelle would just shrug and greet her with a casual “Hey Tal.” And much to their annoyance, Tally would go and hug them because they were separated for too long and she missed her witches.

But to her disappointment, it was empty and untouched. The room looked the same way it did when her and Raelle left that morning for China. Of course, Abigail’s things are gone, moved to her second-year dorm in war college by her mother.

Which is also where Tally was expected to go after Alder gave her back her youth. But she asked the General for some time, so she’s now back at their old dorm while she tries to regain her bearings again after everything she love has been ripped away from her.

Her past few days as Sarah Alder's Biddy has been... interesting to say the least. She's now more awake to the reality of being a soldier than ever before. Her mother was right to be scared, she was so naive to think that this is the kind of future she wants. So damn naive.

She sits down gently on Raelle’s bed, pressing her hand on the bedsheet. Looking up at the letters from Raelle’s mother stuck to the wall beside her, it feels wrong somehow. Even though she’s sat there and even slept together with the girl on days when one of them were feeling down; it feels like a breach of privacy now to be here in Raelle’s space without Raelle.

She looks away from the letters and her eyes fell on Abigail’s old bed. Abigail Bellweather… She may have started off throwing her Bellweather name around with such haughtiness. But she became so much more than just her name. She wasn’t just another overachieving Bellweather. She was Abigail Bellweather. A natural born leader. A true friend. A damn good witch. And an even better sister.

She gets up from Raelle’s bed and was just about to climb onto hers when the door bursts open.

“Glory?” Her best-friend enters, instantly followed by Anacostia.

“I thought you went back on furlough.” Tally goes to hug the girl when she stops dead in her tracks. This isn’t the girl she grew up with. She pauses and scrutinizes the girl carefully.

“Scylla?” she asks.

“Wow, you’re good.” Scylla answers using Glory’s face and voice. And much to Scylla’s surprise, which she should’ve actually expected, Tally hugs the girl. 

“I’m so sorry. I know how much you loved her.” Tally cries as Scylla tries to pull away from Tally’s grip.

“No Tally, wait.” She manages to pull away enough so that she could look into Tally’s eyes as she says this. “They’re alive.”

“What? No, I saw them. I was there.” Tally argues, looking at the girl in disbelief.

“She’s telling the truth Craven.” Anacostia announces herself from the back. “I don’t know how Bellweather and Collar managed to survive a Camarilla bomb but Raelle managed to send a signal back to Scylla.” Tally looks between the both of them, trying to figure out if they’re trying to play some sick joke.

“You’re sure?” She asks Scylla again and the girl nods. “Positive.” She shows Tally her palm with the R on it. Tally holds it with shaky hands, her fingers tracing over it reverently. Like she’s afraid it will disappear with one touch.

“Goddess.” She breathes out and finally breaks. And this time Scylla is the one that pulls her in her arms and holds her tight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope I did these amazing characters justice.
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.


	5. Let's Go Get Our Girls Back!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, you leave that to me.” Scylla grins slyly. “Just point me towards a pilot, and I’ll handle the rest. I can be... very persuasive when I want to be.”
> 
> “Okay then what are waiting for? Let’s go get our girls back!” Tally shoots up from the bed excitedly.

“It wasn’t a Camarilla bomb.” Tally explains after she’s calmed down.

“Alder only said that so that Petra wouldn’t try and waste more manpower by trying to retrieve their bodies. Plus, it’s also easier than trying to explain what really happened.”

Her and Glory/Scylla are sitting on Abigail’s bed while Anacostia leans against one of the tables near them with her arms crossed. Anacostia sighs at that new information, honestly, she wasn’t surprised anymore.

“What really happened?” Scylla asks cautiously, not knowing if she'd want to hear in detail about Raelle's supposed death. And so Tally tells them about everything from the second they stepped off the Bat, to until Alder put her to sleep on the helicopter.

By the time she was done, all three of them were in tears. Even Anacostia was seen secretly wiping at her eyes.

“You’re sure it’s not a bomb?” Anacostia checks.

“I don’t know how it’s possible but the explosion came from them, or it was them. And these black particles sort of dispersed into the air out of nowhere.” Tally wasn’t sure how to explain it. Even Alder had no idea what it was.

“Whatever that explosion was, it’s probably what kept them alive. We need to find them.” Anacostia looks at Scylla who nods.

“Tally, can you trace this link?” Scylla asks, showing the girl her palm.

This was the main reason Anacostia brought Scylla back to Fort Salem despite how dangerous it was. Only a powerful Seer could trace that link back to its source.

As soon as they realized only Tally could and would help them, they headed straight back to Fort Salem after Scylla made up some excuse to Willa Collar about needing to do something to find out where Raelle is. The woman agreed as the news of what happened at the Tarim Basin surprisingly hasn't reached the Spree yet.

At least she now knows for sure that Willa Collar doesn't literally have eyes and ears everywhere. Which is something she's always suspected because the Spree leader has a habit of finding out everything she doesn't want the woman knowing.

Things have been tense between the two ever since the reveal that she's been working for her girlfriend's mother. Not to mention she's become something of a pariah at the cell after she not only failed to bring Raelle in, but also for getting captured and revealing Spree intel to the enemy.

So coming back here was a huge treat for Scylla, she didn't even realize how much she's missed being here until she's surrounded by the familiar walls of Fort Salem.

“I don’t know.” Tally takes the palm and looks at it dubiously but within seconds, her face lit up as she starts seeing something.

“I... I can see it. There’s a trail of energy both coming and going from it.”

“Try to follow where it’s going.” Anacostia instructs. Now that she knows it's possible, she closes her eyes and focuses all her energy towards it; her mind following the thread further and further away. She started bleeding from her nose the harder she focused, but she kept going, paying it no mind.

The two woman looks at her in concern but they know not to disturb her.

“They’re in Mongolia. Gobi Desert.” Tally announces, finally opening her eyes and wiping the blood away with a napkin Scylla grabbed for her. Loud sighs of relief can be heard from both Scylla and Anacostia. Now that they know where the two are, they just need to figure out how to get there.

“So, what’s the plan?” Tally asks Anacostia, wiping away the last of the blood.

Even without saying, they’re all in agreement that this is something they must do themselves. After everything they’ve seen, the last thing they should do is trust Alder with this information.

They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to come up with an idea.

“Well…” Tally starts, eyeing Scylla cautiously. “We could tell Petra.”

Anacostia scoffs. “And how’d that work out for you last time?”

“But this time, it’s her daughter’s life on the line here.” Tally argued and Scylla cuts in-“I’m sorry, what happened last time?”

“Well we-“ Tally was about to explain when she remembered what Raelle had done, and she know that’s something the blonde would want to tell the girl herself so she just brushed it off hoping Scylla wouldn’t press “It’s a… long story.”

“Okay….” Scylla didn’t look convinced but she decided not to ask.

“And how are we going to convince her that her daughter’s alive without bringing up Ramshorn? The second she shows her face to Petra Bellweather, she’ll be arrested and carted off to the Caribbean.”

“Do it.” Scylla says without a second thought. “If this is what’ll save Raelle…”

“No way in hell I’m letting you.” Anacostia interrupts, glaring the girl down.

“Did my ears deceive me or did that actually sound like you were worried about me?” Scylla teased but she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the older woman caring about her.

“Don’t push it Ramshorn, I didn’t commit crimes against Alder to break you out only for you to end up back there.” Anacostia tries to explain but they both know the truth.

“Besides, there are other ways. They just won’t be legal.” Anacostia eyes the two girls to see if any of them are against it.

Scylla of course, lit up like a Christmas tree and Tally just wants her unit back.

“Well, we’ll need a plane.” Scylla states their biggest issue.

“I can _commander_ one of ours.” Anacostia states casually and Scylla looks at the Sergeant with a smirk. “My my, Sergeant Quartermaine. I must be rubbing off on you.”

“But we’ll still need someone to pilot the plane while we Salva drop.” Anacostia pointedly ignores the necro.

“Oh, you leave that to me.” Scylla grins slyly. “Just point me towards a pilot, and I’ll handle the rest. I can be... very persuasive when I want to be.”

“Okay then what are waiting for? Let’s go get our girls back!” Tally shoots up from the bed excitedly.

“Whoa there Craven. Slow your roll.” Anacostia calms the girl down.

“We need to consider the implications of what we’re doing. Alder already knows we’re the ones that broke Ramshorn out. Once she finds out about this, and she will, the consequences could be severe.” Anacostia warns the girl.

“Oh, trust me. I’ve been inside Sarah Alder’s head. I know exactly what she’s capable of. And I’m still in.” She looks at Anacostia with a new found sense of vigor.

Just an hour ago, she received her youth back and along with it, her future. But without her unit, none of that mattered. She was seriously considering following Raelle’s path to become war-meat, especially after seeing the horrors inside Alder’s head. That was not a future she wanted to have.

But now that she has a chance of getting her unit, her sisters back. She’s not going to let anything stand in her way.

“Good. We have no idea what kind of situation they’re in, and knowing those two, it’s nothing short of trouble. We mustn’t waste any time. Grab whatever supplies you can without getting suspicious and meet me at the airfield in one hour.” The girls nod and Anacostia heads for the door.

“And Craven, make sure Ramshorn doesn’t get herself into any trouble.” Anacostia says just as she leaves the room, closing the door behind the two as Scylla shouts an affronted “Hey!” after the Sergeant.

* * *

“We’re approaching the drop zone!” Anacostia shouted from beside the pilot’s seat as their stolen Bat nears the airspace over where Tally says her unit-mates could be.

Scylla, who is now back in her own body much to Tally's relief, grips her backpack tight and cringes as she peeks from the open cargo-bay door and realized how high the drop is.

Floating ten feet in the air with her then-Spree mark while they had ropes tied to their ankles is something every cadet could do, but dropping from a moving plane, way up in the air you can actually touch the clouds is something they don’t teach you at necro.

“You okay?” Tally asks, noticing the girl looking a little pale in the face. Scylla just nods unconvincingly. “Don’t worry, I’ll guide you.” Tally pats the girl on her back.

“Salva Up Ladies!” Anacostia shouts over the droning sound of the engines and places the aforementioned substance on her neck.

“Let’s go!” Tally exclaims, hyping herself up. She takes out her Salva can, sticks one on her neck and gives another to Scylla who follows the redhead’s lead with shaking hands.

Anacostia was the first to jump, and she did it with such practiced ease Scylla felt envious, that woman has probably done this hundreds of times before.

“Go! I’m right behind you.” Tally promised the necro. Scylla pauses at the entrance, prays to whatever goddess is up there and jumps.

For the first few moments, she felt… well, she felt like she was falling. But before long, she felt the effects of the Salva kick in and instead of just free falling straight through air, she was in control. She could see Anacostia’s silhouette slightly ahead of her, leading the way so she aimed her flight path towards the drill sergeant.

Scylla couldn’t help but laugh out loud, this is the freest she’s ever been. No Spree, no military. No chains and no balloons.

She feels someone approaching beside her and she turns around to see Tally, following behind her. Contrary to Scylla, Tally seems more determined and grounded than ever before. Like she’s finally found her purpose and she’s not going to let anything stand in her way. Scylla felt safer knowing Tally was with her.

Anacostia has safely landed and Scylla was approaching the ground, but with no training she didn’t know what to do. She was heading head first towards the ground, and fast.

Just as she was about to panic, she felt Tally grabbing her arm and pulling her body upright then they both slowly floated down toward the ground feet first.

“Thanks!” Scylla nodded at the redhead gratefully. That could’ve ended badly if it weren’t for the girl. “It’s no big-“ before Tally could finish, Scylla doubled over and threw up her stomach’s contents.

“Goddess, are you okay?” Tally asked, as Scylla finished, wiping her mouth with the back of her hands.

“I’m fine. It’s just my dignity that’s bruised.” Scylla mumbled, taking the canteen out of her backpack and took a few large swigs, washing her mouth out. Then proceeds to wash her hands as well. When she was done, she looks up to find Tally staring at her with an amused smile on her face.

“What?” Scylla paused.

“Nothing…. It’s just. You’re this badass undercover Spree agent that survived being tortured by both Anacostia and General Alder for weeks..." Tally starts and Scylla just raised her brows at the redhead, daring her to continue.

"But a Salva drop is what breaks you.” Tally giggled flashing her dimples and Scylla couldn’t help the blush forming on her face out of embarrassment.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the nice one? Or is that Abigail?” Scylla asks rhetorically, cocking her head and puts the canteen back in her backpack.

“You ladies done?” Anacostia interrupts them, not wanting to wait any longer. “It’s only a few hours until sundown. We need to make as much headway as we can.”

“That way.” Tally says, pointing at the direction where she can see the energy from the bond heading towards. They all starts heading towards where Tally pointed with Anacostia leading the crew.

“She tells you about us?” Tally bounces in her steps as she walks beside Scylla. “What does she say?” Wanting to hear what Raelle has been telling her girlfriend about their unit.

“Sorry Tally, but my lips are sealed. You'll have to ask Raelle that yourself.”

“Aww come on! I promise she won’t be mad. What did she say about me?” Tally pushes, wanting to keep the girl talking.

To say she’s curious to find out who Scylla Ramshorn really is, would be an understatement.

She’s seen so many different versions of Scylla: the cheeky one she met at that pizza restaurant, the soft and kind one that Raelle fell in love with, the broken one she met in the dungeon.

And most recently from Alder’s memories, the Spree agent that committed the massacre at the mall who sassed back at Sarah Alder and laughed at the face of death.

“Well, she did tell me you asked about her mark.” Scylla smirks at the woman before continuing. “And trust me Tally, it’s shiny as hell. I made sure of it.”

* * *

The door bell chimes at the Elliot household. Mr. and Mrs. Elliot are having breakfast together before they have to go about their day.

The Elliot family is your typical middle-class family with a white picket fence. Mr Elliot works at a law-firm where he spends most of his time while Mrs Elliot plays the perfect suburban housewife. And their son Owen is your average highschooler with decent grades and teenage hormones.

“I got it!” Owen Elliot ran downstairs, dashing towards the door. “That’s just Sam picking me up for school.” He informs his parents as he opens it revealing a scrappy looking redhead, wearing torn up jeans, a knock off sneaker and a well-worn T-Shirt.

“Oh, is it that new friend you’ve been talking about honey?” Mrs. Elliot shouts from the dining room while Owen invites Sam in.

“Come in, I’ll just take a second.” He ushers his friend in and guides him to the dining room before he dashes back upstairs to finish getting ready.

“Hey, Sam. Why don’t you come join us for breakfast while you wait?” Mrs. Elliot offers but Sam refuses politely.

“No thanks Ma’am. I already ate.” He stands near them awkwardly, and as he waits he pulls out his inhaler and takes a huge breath.

Mr. Elliot looks him up and down, distaste written over his face but he doesn’t say a word as he continues reading his newspapers.

“Interesting, isn’t it?” Sam speaks up after a while, startling the two. Mr. Elliot looks up to find Sam staring at the front of his newspaper with the headlines about General Sarah Alder’s press conference about the reappearance of the Camarilla.

“How can a sect that is considered annihilated so long ago just reappear out of nowhere?” Sam continues.

“And what would you know about it, son?” Mr. Elliot scrutinizes him carefully.

“Other than what we’re taught in the history books? None, Sir.” He shakes his inhaler in his hands as he continues. “However, I do think the main reason they’re back is because she made one mistake.”

“And what is that?” Mr. Elliot drops his newspaper on the table and faces the boy threateningly. Sam brings the inhaler to his lips.

“It’s because she forgot to make sure they didn’t leave any offsprings.” This time instead of inhaling, he starts whispering something to it.

Noticing this Mr. Elliot jumps up from his seat and tries to stop him but it was too late, the canister pops off with a thump. Mr. Elliot freezes in his step as blood starts dripping from his nose, then his eyes started bleeding as well.

He hears his wife shrieking; she looks up at him from her seat and she too has started bleeding from the same places he was.

“You-“ he tries to reach for the boy but before he can even make it a few steps he collapses to the ground, drawing his last breath. A loud clang sounds as Mrs. Elliot falls face first into her breakfast as well.

“What’s going on?” Owen's voice was heard before he enters the living room, his backpack over his shoulders, ready for school. He hasn’t even made it two steps into the area when he too, feels something from his nose. He wipes it with the back of his hand and realizes it was blood.

He looks up and finally take in the scene in front of him. His father and mother both dead and his friend Sam standing right next to them as if nothing’s wrong.

“Help!” he shouts the first thing that comes to his mind and runs for his parents but he too, started bleeding heavily from his eyes and nose and crumbles to the floor just as he reached his father.

The last thing he sees before he eventually succumbing to his death is the smiling face of his new friend looking down at him saying…

“We are the Spree.”

* * *

“Come on Bellweather.” Raelle nudges the girl lying on the ground even though she herself is lying right beside her. The moon is overhead and the two of them have been laying there for at least a few hours now, both not having the energy to continue anymore.

“We’re almost there.” Raelle repeats the same three words that they kept saying to get them this far but still, it wasn’t far enough. The mountain is still about a day’s walk away and they’re not even sure if there’s anything there. Vegetation means fresh water and probably some nuts and fruits but they’re still in the middle of nowhere with no way to contact their people.

“Shut up.” Abigail mumbles not opening her eyes. She truly is done. It’s been three days since their supposed death and rebirth. But it looks like this one is finally going to take. She can’t see any way out of this one.

“You know what shitbird?”

“What?” Raelle stares up at the sky. It’s a full moon and being so far away from civilization, the sky is covered in a blanket of stars making it the second most beautiful sight she’s ever seen.

“You were right.”

“About what?”

“That you’re cursed.” Abigail says and Raelle tries to laugh but it only comes out as a dry hacking cough.

“Tell me about it.” Raelle closes her eyes, as Abigail too lets out a weak laugh. Then Raelle starts laughing again even though it feels like a red-hot iron rod being shoved down her throat and her entire body feels like it's been through the blender.

Abigail joins in as well, both laughing at everything and nothing at all. It went on for a while, neither of them stopping until their bodies decided they were done.

Their laughter died out as though a final chime of a clock striking midnight.

With whatever strength she has left, Raelle blindly reached for Abigail’s hand. Abigail unknowingly does the same. They gripped each other tight, finding strength and comfort in each other’s presence as they waited for death to take them.

Raelle felt their connection go first.

She felt empty.

Alone.

Abigail's hand went limp.

This is it.

Dad, Scyl, Tally... I'm sorry.

Mama... I'm coming.

“…Raelle”

Raelle feels a sharp sting on her face and a familiar voice saying her name.

“Raelle… wake up. Come on, get up.” Someone’s slapping on her cheeks lightly but her whole body felt like it’s on fire and each slap felt like she’s being punched over and over again.

"You promised you’d come back to me." Her body’s being shaken, and something starts dripping on her face.

One drop.

Two.

She hears her start to sob.

She wants to get up, to tell them to stop crying, to give her their pain.

But all she managed to do is let out a small whimper.

But it was enough, because the person paused.

She feels someone’s lips on her own. Wet with warm, salty tears.

These lips, she could recognize no matter how far gone she is. She manages to open her mouth a fair bit, letting the person slide her tongue in hers but before long it was gone.

_No, come back._

She tries to pry her eyes open, but it won’t open. Why won’t it open?

_Please don’t leave me._

She tries to move her hands, her fingers, anything.

_Please, I’m sorry._

She feels someone taking her hand, holding it with both hands.

Then…. A surge of energy starts flowing through her.

Her body starts to tingle, rejoicing at the renewed energy.

Her body starts cooperating again.

She finally manages to open her eyes.

“Scylla.”


	6. You're A Spree. And She's A Soldier.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re a Spree. And she’s a soldier. Star-crossed lovers may seem romantic and all but you have to see that there’s not a world where it’s going to end well for the two of you. I know Raelle, she would never ask you to choose between your beliefs and her.”

“Scylla”

Finally managing to pry open her eyes, the first thing she saw was Scylla Ramshorn with bloodshot eyes and cheeks stained with a mixture of tears, sweat, dirt and grime yet Raelle couldn’t help but think this is the most beautiful sight she’s ever seen.

The night sky, acting as the perfect backdrop, making the scene almost ethereal…

She would have mistaken this for heaven if not for the intense pain shooting throughout her entire body.

“Welcome back.” Scylla greets, pressing a gentle kiss on Raelle’s cheek before cautiously pulling her up into a seated position. Her nerve endings disagree with the movement and she whimpered in agony the entire way through.

Scylla winced, seeing the girl she loves being in so much pain. If she could take away Raelle’s pain, she would in an instant. But unfortunately, this isn’t her specialization. When she found Raelle lying on the desert floor, lifeless, she considered the worst.

It was the dungeon all over again and Scylla felt like she was chained to the chair while the love of her life is being taken away from her and she could do nothing but watch.

It was actually Anacostia’s combat first-aid that came to the rescue. She managed to link with Raelle and heal her just enough to bring her back. But even Anacostia has her limits. The rest is up to Raelle.

“Here.” She brings her canteen up to Raelle’s dry and chapped lips. “Take it slow.”

At the first hit of the cool, refreshing substance that she has been deprived of for days, the blonde starts gulping down greedily against Scylla’s warnings. She ended up coughing and spluttering.

“You just never listen, do you?” Scylla chuckles fondly, patting down Raelle’s back while the girl regains her composure.

But instead of the usual retorts, Scylla finds herself engulfed in Raelle’s arms. Raelle grips onto Scylla with everything that she has, finally feeling whole again.

Raelle's entire body aches in ways she’s never felt before, they’re still in the middle of the desert and she doesn’t know how Scylla got here; but she doesn’t care. She finally has her whole world in her arms again, and nothing is going to take that away from her.

Scylla herself, melts into Raelle’s punishing embrace, holding on for dear life. The last time they held each other like this was at the Bellweather wedding. They were different people then.

But now all the walls are down; Raelle knows the truth about Scylla and she is still holding onto Scylla like she’s her everything. The worst things she’s feared has come and gone, and they’re still together.

Scylla always used to be a cynic; she would always just assume the worst of every possible outcome so that she can’t ever be disappointed when it comes to pass.

But this time, for the first time in her entire life. She allows herself to think that they’re going to be okay. Their journey is going to be a long and arduous one, and it’s not going to be easy. There’s still so much she needs to tell Raelle concerning her past with the Spree. And much of that, she’s not sure Raelle will be okay with.

But if these past few days have taught her anything is that _no matter what happens_ , they’ll keep choosing each other.

Scylla isn’t sure about most things in life. And to anyone else it may seem pretty damn naïve to be saying this about someone she hasn’t been together for even a year. But she knows it with her entire heart and soul that they’re **_it_** for each other.

And as long as they keep coming back to each other, there’s nothing she can’t handle.

“I thought I was never going to see you again.” Raelle breathes in Scylla’s familiar scent, she smells like safety and home and Raelle wants to never let go. Tears roll down her cheeks in waves, and she hugs the girl tighter to her chest, afraid that this is all a dream.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easy.” Scylla sniffles hiding her head in the crook of Raelle’s neck, their bodies fitting together seamlessly as if that’s their only purpose.

Someone fakes a cough from behind, breaking the two out of their own little world.

“We’re here too you know?” Raelle hears a voice she never thought she’d hear again, at least not in this youthful tone.

Surprised, she breaks off from Scylla, and finds Tally standing right behind them, back to her normal self.

“Tally?” she asks, not understanding how this is possible. The girl flashes her adorable dimples while she wipes at her eyes. Being an empath, Tally can’t help but feel every emotion around her, especially when they’re this intense.

“Get over here Tal!” Raelle asks for the girl as she didn’t have the strength to go to her, Tally runs into Raelle’s arms without a second thought.

Raelle glances around and she also finds Anacostia, tending to an awake Abigail, who looks as bad as she probably does.

“What? How?” Raelle splutters looking around at the people she loves. They’re all finally back together again. They may still be in the middle of nowhere but she’s finally home.

“It seems I was right, shitbird.” Abigail was the one that answers. “They used that bond to track us. Apparently, we’re in Mongolia?” she gestures towards the desert as if it’s something they should’ve realized days ago.

“Yeah, it seems that’s not the only thing we missed.” Raelle looks at Tally, who’s not a Biddy anymore and Scylla who’s supposed be with the Spree but is actually here, and working alongside none other than the woman who tortured her?

It seems a lot has happened at Fort Salem while the two of them were wandering the Mongolian desert.

“I mean… We died twice so I still think we win.” Abigail says, she always gotta be the overachiever. Both sides have explained their stories, followed by some tears and more hugs between the Bellweather unit.

Scylla remained quiet most of the time, letting the unit reunite as she just looks at them wistfully. Looking at what she could’ve had.

They set up camp right where they found the two girls as it was still night out and they had to wait until the sun came up to make their way back to where their plane is waiting.

This would give both Raelle and Abigail the chance to recuperate some more. With enough water and food, the two are starting to look better but they would still need all the support they can get to make their return journey.

Also, a _lot_ of rest once they get back.

“Nuh uh. You only died once. You’ll were just passed out when we found you.” Tally argues, throwing a stick she found on the ground at the Bellweather.

Well, passed out and at the brink of death is probably more accurate but Tally decided not to mention it.

“Well it still felt like dying, and trust me I would know. Been there, done that.” Scylla flinches slightly, Raelle would’ve missed it if she wasn’t being spooned by the girl. Ever since she woke up Scylla has refused to let go of their physical contact for even a moment and Raelle didn’t mind. She feels the same way.

So now she’s sat in between Scylla’s legs and she leans against the necro with all her weight for support. Scylla has one arm around Raelle’s abdomen and the other holding her hand. Raelle has never felt more comfortable than in this moment.

They both know there’s so much they need to talk about, and Scylla has a pretty big bomb to drop on Raelle about Willa Collar but for now they’re content to live in this bubble where they’re just two kids in love.

Abigail on the other hand is sitting up by herself, trying to pretend that it’s not hurting her to do so. Tally keeps trying to coax their leader to lean against her but said leader keeps shrugging it off saying she’s fine. Guess some traits… you can never change.

“Yeah, but Anacostia stealing a plane beats anything else don’t you think?” Raelle chimes in, trying to change the subject as she looks at their drill sergeant conspiratorially. Anacostia has also been staying quiet, letting the Bellweather Unit have their moment. She also needed to recharge after linking with two near-death soldiers.

“I will not be participating in your childish games Collar.” Anacostia says simply.

“Yeah yeah… You know you love us.” Raelle laughs fondly. And Anacostia has to control herself to maintain her façade. She would not admit that she actually broke down to tears in the privacy of her room right after she found out about their supposed death.

“Guys come on! I aged and then de-aged in the span of two days!”

“Well Abigail and I spawned mushroom children right after we woke up!” 

* * *

Back at the base, Alder and her cabinet are being informed of another Spree attack. This time, a family of three.

“Why a family?” Petra asks, not understanding how an organization who used to make public attacks on large groups of people to make a point went after such a small household.

As far as she knows the father works at a private law firm and the mother is just a housewife. Their son, Owen Elliot, is an average kid in high school with nothing of note that would make him stand out in any way.

“You need to look into them thoroughly. The Spree don’t just attack randomly.” Alder orders the Bellweather. “Of course General, I already have people on it.”

“And where is Anacostia? She should be here.” Alder searches around for the woman but Izadora spoke up. “She says she’s out following a lead on the Camarilla, General.” Alder eyes the woman suspiciously.

How Izadora managed to not break under the General’s stare is beyond her. Anacostia is _so_ going to owe her when she gets back. The woman just showed up out of nowhere asking her to cover for her and Tally Craven while they go off to goddess-knows-where. All she kept saying was that the less she knows the better.

And of course, Izadora said that she would cover for them, an old habit she still hasn't managed break from back when they were a unit. She just spent the morning making up false reports about Tally Craven being with her and now The Sarah Alder is staring her down, looking through her like she’s dissecting the Necro Teacher.

Well, at least now she knows what her mushrooms feel like everytime she cuts one open for the sake of science.

“Let her know to come see me the moment she returns. Dismissed.” Alder breaks her stare, seemingly accepting Izadora’s excuse and dismisses the room. Izadora sighs out a breath of relief once she’s out of Alder’s sight. 

Everyone files off one after another, and Petra was about to leave as well when Alder tells her to stay. The door closes as the last person left, until it was only Alder and her Biddies and Petra left in the room. Petra takes a seat across from the General.

“First I would like to offer my sincerest condolences for the passing of your daughter… She was a gifted soldier.” Alder says.

“She was.” Petra states, looking at the General in disdain. Her daughter would still be alive if Alder hadn’t blocked their acceptance into War College just to spite her.

“Things are tense right now, we’re in the middle of a war on both sides. This is the time to be united.” Alder starts.

“The Camarilla are back and-“ Petra cuts the General off “Cut the crap Sarah. Just say what it is you want.” The Biddies immediately started hissing at the woman but Petra just glared at them in annoyance.

“Okay then.” The General sighs, dropping the facade.

“I want us to put what happened with the President behind us. You’re the best damn Head of Intelligence I’ve ever had and it would be a shame to have to replace you over our petty squabbles when the real enemy is out there.”

“Petty squabbles?” Petra scoffs.

“You got my daughter killed General. It’s not something I can just forget about as if nothing’s happened.”

“She chose to be there!”

“She was only there because her unit was there.”

“Your daughter knew the risks, she knew what was at stake and she sacrificed herself for the sake of our survival.”

“And that is the only reason why I’m still here General. To make sure that her and Raelle Collar’s sacrifice wasn’t for naught.”

“So, don’t worry. I’ll play my part. I’ll be the good little soldier you need me to be just as long as you keep your word to take down the Camarilla. But know this.” Petra stands from her seat, placing both of her hands on the desk, staring the General down.

“I will never forgive you for what you did.” With that, Petra turns and stalks off the room before The General could get another word in.

Alder sighs, staring at the retreating figure.

Petra Bellweather is starting to become a problem.

* * *

“We can’t go back to Fort Salem.” Tally interrupts, looking around at everyone in seriousness. The time for reunion is over and now it’s time for them to talk about something they’ve been avoiding since they found the two… Their future.

“What are you talking about Craven?” Anacostia looks at the woman not understanding where it’s coming from.

Yes, it’s true they can’t trust Alder after everything and once they get back, the General would probably reprimand them for taking off by themselves. But running away would definately turn them into criminals.

“Alder has plans… And it involves the two of you staying dead.” Tally speaks only vaguely, but seems genuinely scared. This alarms the leader of the Bellweather Unit.

“Care to elaborate Tal?” Abigail asks, sitting up in her place.

“Alder does a pretty good job of hiding the details from me so I don’t know everything but I do know she’s going to use your deaths to unite The Hague under one rule. Hers.”

“And while I was a Biddy I gained a pretty good understanding of how Alder’s mind works… How she thinks…” Tally stares into the fire, not wanting to dredge up those memories.

“I mean just the fact that the two of you didn’t die, would reveal that Alder lied about what happened. At the very least she’ll do something to discredit the two of you before she allows you back with the other witches.” Tally broke her eyes away from the fire, turning towards her unit.

The unit instantly noticed something in Tally’s eyes that they’ve never seen before on their baby bird…

Hatred.

“Why am I not surprised?” Raelle scoffs, tensing up in Scylla’s arms. Scylla starts rubbing small circles on Raelle’s hand to help comfort her.

“So what do we do?” Abigail looks at Anacostia for guidance. As much as Anacostia hopes that Tally Craven is exaggerating about General Alder, a part of her also knows that that’s exactly the kind of person Sarah Alder is.

“For now, I think we need to find somewhere for the two of you to lay low and recuperate. I have Izadora covering for Craven and I, so we can go back, gain some more intel on what Alder’s up to.”

“Then we’ll come up with a plan to bring you two back from the dead, so to speak.”

“What about Spree over there?” Abigail asks, gesturing at Scylla. They both have been actively ignoring each other since the unit reunited. Well, Scylla has been ignoring Abigail while the Bellweather has been shooting glares at the girl any chance she gets.

“Spree over here has a name.” Scylla scoffs, she’s been letting the Bellweather give her all the hateful glances the entire night because she’s trying to be civil for Raelle’s sake. But the way Abigail just spat the word “Spree” with so much venom in her tone, was the final straw.

“Oh really! I-“ Abigail starts but before it could escalate, Anacostia interrupts.

“Ramshorn can Salva drop on the way back.”

Scylla who was previously glaring at Abigail whips around to look at Anacostia then at Tally, like a deer in headlights.

_No… Not again._

The sun’s almost out and the Bellweather unit is passed out in their sleeping-bags. They only brought three for themselves so Anacostia and Scylla gave theirs to the two injured ladies while they stayed watch.

Scylla didn’t mind, since she knows she won’t be able to sleep until Raelle stops looking like she’s been literally dragged through hell and back. She couldn’t even bring herself to look away from the blonde for one second in fear that Raelle would be gone again.

She hears a rustle and she looks up to see Abigail Bellweather, getting out of her sleeping bag.

“You’re supposed to be resting.” Scylla says to the Bellweather, not wanting to get into another argument but she also knows that it’s inevitable.

Abigail just raises her brows in challenge as she starts folding the sleeping bag then joins the necro to sit near the fire. Anacostia decides to let the two women have their talk this time and she walks off, leaving them alone.

It was a tense silence as they both sat, Abigail staring at the fire, Scylla staring at Raelle. Abigail was the first one to break the silence.

“I don’t like you.” And Scylla looks up at the girl. She was about to respond with how the feeling was mutual when Abigail held up her hand to stop her; she wasn’t finished.

“I don’t like you. I don’t trust you. And I will never, ever understand how someone could justify mass murder.” Abigail scoffs, glaring at the woman.

“But this isn’t about us.”

“Raelle loves you. And you love her.” She says as if she’s just stating another fact. That the sky is blue or that fire is hot.

“And _that_ is the only reason you’re still alive right now after everything you’ve done to the people I’ve sworn to protect.” She spat, brimming with a type of fury known for the Bellweather but something she’s never had the privilege of being on the receiving end of.

Scylla barely managed to control her anger at Abigail’s words. Miss High and Mighty, thinking she knows everything. That everything is black and white.

As if the military hasn’t done worse for the greater good. At least The Spree doesn’t hide behind lies and pretend to be something they’re not.

But Scylla manages to keep her mouth shut, knowing Abigail was at least right about one thing. This isn’t about them. This is about Raelle.

“I don’t know where you stand right now with the Spree or with Alder. And normally I would tell you to leave Raelle alone if you love her. Because there’s no way, I’m letting her get involved with something that complicated.”

“But I won’t. Because I’ve been inside Raelle’s mind and I know that losing you again would break her. And this time, I fear we won’t get there in time.” Abigail trembles slightly, remembering the last time Raelle thought she lost Scylla. The amount of Salva Raelle took, could’ve killed her if they hadn’t got there in time.

“You’re a Spree. And she’s a soldier. Star-crossed lovers may seem romantic and all but you have to see that there’s not a world where it’s going to end well for the two of you. I know Raelle, she would never ask you to choose between your beliefs and her.”

Abigail softens a bit, looking at Scylla for the first time since their first meeting. The walls have finally come down and Scylla knows she’s seeing the real Abigail right now, not the one hiding behind her Bellweather name. 

The two of them will never see eye to eye.

Abigail stands for everything Scylla hates about the military and Scylla on the other hand works for the people Abigail has pledged to fight against.

But the one thing they both have in common is their love for Raelle. 

“But I’m not Raelle, and I’m asking you to. For the sake of my sister.”

Scylla’s first instinct was to snark back about how the high and mighty Abigail Bellweather is begging at a lowly Spree agent and an ex-dodger. But she can’t. Because what Abigail said was nothing she hadn’t thought of and she knows it’s on Raelle’s mind too.

They’ve only been back together for a few hours and Scylla can see it in the way Raelle looks at her, and she can feel it with every lingering touch.

As if Raelle’s terrified that one wrong move and the girl would be snatched away from her at any moment.

Terrified that every touch, every glance and every kiss could be their last.

And Scylla can only just shake her head, staring at the ground. Not being able to look at the Bellweather or the woman she loves.

“I don’t deserve her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've rewritten this chapter a bunch of times and nothing felt right, but in the end I decided to just go with it.


	7. I'll Keep Choosing You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why are you doing this?” Raelle asks, squeezing Scylla’s hand.
> 
> “I’m making my choice.” Scylla answers, glancing at Abigail.
> 
> “There’s no way I’m going back to the Spree when I just got you back. I chose you remember? And I’ll keep choosing you.” She brings their joined hands to her lips and places a kiss on the back of Raelle’s hand as she repeated their promise.
> 
> “No matter what happens.”

“I need to tell you something.” Scylla starts, looking at Raelle cautiously. She’s been trying to find the right time to tell Raelle about her mother but it never came and now they’re back on the plane, about to enter US airspace.

No matter how much it would hurt, Scylla knows there’s no way she could let Raelle go on with her life thinking her mother died in Liberia.

Raelle deserves to know the truth.

It was a few hours after Abigail and her had their “talk” that the sun came up and the group started making their way back to the plane. They spent most of their trek trying to figure out where best for Raelle and Abigail to have their little R&R and after much discussion, they decided that Petra Bellweather is their safest bet.

It’s definitely a gamble after everything that’s happened, but having someone of her caliber on their side would help them greatly if they do decide to go against Alder.

And Abigail assures her unit that when it comes down to it, Petra Bellweather is someone that can be trusted.

The trip back to the plane took longer than expected because of the two injured girls. They ended up having to take multiple rests along the way and halfway through, Raelle ended up in Scylla’s arms but Abigail was too stubborn to be carried.

Anacostia even offered to carry the woman but of course, Abigail refuses.

It was only before sundown that they finally made it to the plane. Their pilot was impatiently waiting for them but after a few sweet words from Scylla, she was perfectly content to take them wherever they would like to go.

And so, they started making their way to Maryland, where the Bellweather’s summer house is located.

“What is it?” Raelle asks, she’s been leaning against the girl, trying to get some rest but being cramped up in the tiny cargo plane is making it impossible to do so; no matter how tired she was.

“In private.” Scylla whispered, hoping to keep their conversation between them. Raelle looks up at Scylla, and notices the frown marring the girl’s face.

Anacostia is sitting at the co-pilots seat so it’s only the four of them in the back. There are two benches on each side of the plane, facing each other. Raelle and Scylla on one side, with Abigail and Tally on the other.

Abigail shoots Raelle a questioning look upon hearing Scylla’s request while Tally is fast asleep with her head on Abigail’s lap.

“Come on.” Raelle gets up, replying Abigail with a nod in reassurance and heads towards the small area near the cargo bay door just out of earshot of the others.

“What is it?” Raelle grips onto the railing behind her on one side of the plane while Scylla does the other.

Scylla sighs, not knowing how to go about this in a way that doesn’t hurt Raelle. But there really is no other way to tell the woman she loves that her mother is alive and is the leader of a Spree cell.

“Before I say anything, I need you to trust that I only found out about this after I went back okay?”

Raelle nods, looking at Scylla expectantly.

Looking at the woman she loves, Scylla started to hesitate. Maybe this conversation isn’t something they should have right here right now. Maybe it’s better to let the girl recuperate after everything she’s went through in the past few days instead of dropping something like this into her lap and then Salva dropping out of her life not knowing when they’ll see each other again.

“Scyl, whatever it is I can handle it.” Raelle says, as Scylla stood there contemplating. Judging by the torn up look in Scylla’s eyes, Raelle knows whatever it is, isn’t good.

“It’s your mother. She’s alive.” Scylla finally manages to blurt out and Raelle just stares at the girl, not fully registering the words.

“What are you talking about?” Raelle shakes her head, looking at the girl in disbelief.

Her mother is dead. She saw the casket. She was there when they buried her.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you but we’ve never had a moment alone and-“

If she’s not dead and Scylla knows about it, does that mean-

“What do you mean she’s alive? Is the Spree keeping her prisoner? Do you know where it is? We have to go rescue her Scyl-” Raelle starts rambling, her eyes glinting with a hint of hope but Scylla cuts her off before it could go any further.

“She’s not a prisoner Raelle.”

“Then… what?” Scylla can see the realization starting to dawn on Raelle’s face. If she’s with the Spree but she’s not a prisoner then there’s only one other explanation. But the blonde is hoping against hope that it isn’t true.

“She’s actually my Spree handler. And the leader of my cell.” Scylla admits.

“No.” Raelle chokes out a laugh, it’s not true. There has to be some other explanation.

“You’re wrong. That’s not her. You-You’re lying. Why are you lying? Why do you keep lying to me Scyl?” Raelle shouts at Scylla, getting worked up. She would rather accept that the love of her life has been lying to her again than the truth.

And Scylla knows this is just Raelle retreating into herself, trying to protect herself from the truth but she couldn’t help but flinch at Raelle’s accusation.

“I promise you Raelle. I will never lie to you again.” Scylla swears, hoping the girl could see how much she means it. Scylla would rather die than tell another lie towards Raelle.

“What’s going on?” Abigail interrupts seeing Raelle in distress. She’s been keeping an eye on them ever since they went off to have their “talk”. But the longer they keep talking, the more Raelle looks closer to breaking down.

Tally also woke up once Raelle starts shouting and the two of them decided they’d better intervene.

“This doesn’t concern you Abigail.” Scylla shoots the woman a glare in annoyance at their interruption. She’s really not looking forward to dealing with more accusations from the Bellweather.

“Raelle’s part of my unit. So yes, it does concern me.” Abigail steps in, seeing that this isn’t anything relationship related. And Raelle looks like she definitely needs some support right now.

“What is it Raelle? What did she tell you?” Ignoring Scylla, Abigail turns to look at the girl who is starting to look pale.

“It’s my mom… She’s alive…” Raelle looks between Abigail and Tally.

“… and Spree.” Raelle adds turning her attention back towards Scylla. Abigail and Tally also turns to Scylla at that.

“Hold Up. You’re telling us that Raelle’s mother is Spree? You better have pretty damn good evidence to back that up before coming in here dropping that bomb.” Abigail charges the necro, her height towering over the Spree but Scylla has been threatened by worse, she’s not going to be intimidated by Miss High Atlantic.

“Well, it’s the truth.” Scylla looks over Abigail towards Raelle who’s staring at everywhere and nowhere at all. Lost in her thoughts.

“I’m so sorry Raelle. I’ve been meaning to find the right time to tell you.”

“How is that even possible?” Tally asks, remembering what Raelle had told her about her mom dying in a firefight in Liberia.

“It’s not. My mom was there when they had to dig her out. She’s obviously lying.” Abigail shoves the girl, her back hitting the side of the plane as Abigail keeps her hand pressed against Scylla’s chest, keeping her pinned there.

Normally Scylla would fight back but she lets Abigail have this one because she knows she has no credibility here and it’s going to take some time for the Bellweather to stop seeing everything that comes out of her mouth as lies.

“Raelle, please.” She tries from under Abigail’s hold. Raelle hasn’t said a word as she looks around at everyone, not fully knowing how to come to terms with the fact that her mother is not only alive, which means the woman knowingly left her and her dad to fend for themselves but that she is a leader of a terrorist organization that has murdered thousands of countless humans.

“Does she… does she, ask about me?” Raelle looks at Scylla, her eyes full of hope. Raelle knows she’s being naïve. But the part of her that’s that scared little girl that would crawl into her mother’s bed just to have more time with the woman before she gets deployed again?

That part just wants her mama back.

Scylla’s heart breaks at the hopeful look on Raelle’s face and Scylla didn’t want to let the girl down by telling the truth which is that Willa Collar hasn’t asked about Raelle other than to question Scylla about her whereabouts.

“She wants to see you.” Scylla simply said, which technically, isn’t a lie.

Scylla breaks off Abigail’s hold on her, who lets her go reluctantly and heads towards her girlfriend. She cups the broken girl’s cheek with one hand, making the girl look at her in the eyes.

“Raelle, you have to understand. She’s not the person you think she is.”

“But she’s alive. You’ve seen her?” she grabs onto Scylla’s hand on her face with both hands. Holding onto that sliver of hope.

“Yes, yes I’ve seen her and she’s fine Raelle.” Scylla can the myriad of emotions flashing through Raelle’s mind right as she said those.

First of relief, that her mother’s alive and well.

_The sand turned to glass around her, and they had to crack her out._

Then confusion, as to how that’s possible.

_What was left of her._

Then realization.

_Dad, why didn't mom's charm keep her safe?_

And resignation.

_She never brought it on her last tour._

Then anger, for leaving Raelle and her father to fend for themselves.

_It's like she knew she wasn't coming back._

And finally, just sadness…

“Why?” Raelle questions her voice breaking at the end. She looks at Scylla with so much pain in her eyes and Scylla had no answer for the girl.

That’s the million-dollar question isn’t it? Why would Willa Collar fake her own death? Why would she join the Spree, an organization that kills people like her husband? Why did she let Raelle live her life thinking her mother’s dead?

She will never understand how Willa Collar could do that to Raelle. And there’s nothing she could say that would make things better for the girl she loves.

So, she just pulls the girl towards her and holds her tight, letting her know that yes, her world may be crumbling right before her but she’s not alone and Raelle will never be alone; not if she can help it.

“Where are we dropping you?” Anacostia asks Scylla as they entered US airspace. Tension is still high between the girls but they’ve all retreated back to their seats to process the bomb that Scylla had dropped on them.

Raelle especially.

She hasn't asked anything more about her mother to Scylla. And Scylla is perfectly content with not having to reveal more about Willa Collar to Raelle, at least for now.

Raelle needs to know the truth about Willa Collar before Scylla lets the woman anywhere near Raelle. So that's a conversation they definitely need to have in the future but for now she decided, seeing the woman she love break in her arms once is enough.

“I’m coming with.” Scylla states, confusing everyone except Abigail.

“Uh… To Petra Bellweather’s house?” Tally asks the girl, making sure she heard her right. Scylla gives the girl a determined nod.

“Scyl?” Raelle asks, taking Scylla’s hand.

“Didn’t we talk about you not making any unnecessary sacrifices just yesterday?” Anacostia looks at the girl in annoyance, it appears the Bellweather unit isn’t the only ones that wants to age her prematurely.

“Look I can help. I know enough about the Spree’s plans to be able to negotiate a deal with Petra.”

“Why are you doing this?” Raelle asks, squeezing Scylla’s hand.

“I’m making my choice.” Scylla answers, glancing at Abigail.

“There’s no way I’m going back to the Spree when I just got you back. I chose you remember? And I’ll keep choosing you.” She brings their joined hands to her lips and places a kiss on the back of Raelle’s hand as she repeated their promise.

“No matter what happens.”

“Scyl please don’t. I won’t let you do this for me.” Raelle argues, there’s no telling what’s going to happen to Scylla in the hands of Petra Bellweather.

“I’m not. I’m doing this for me. I want this okay? I want us.”

“What would you even have to bargain with Ramshorn? I thought you were just a foot soldier.” Anacostia cocks her head.

“I am, but I have eyes and ears. I made it my job to know when and where the cell leaders meet, where they recruit, and I think I know what they’re planning right now.”

“And let me guess, you’re not going to tell us what that is.” Abigail scrutinizes the girl carefully. This isn’t what she expected when she asked the girl to choose. But if Scylla does have credible information that would help in taking down the Spree, it’s worth a shot.

“A girl’s gotta have her secrets, right?”

“It’s your call.” Anacostia looks to Abigail since this is her mom they’re talking about. And she knows there’s no stopping Scylla once she’s made up her mind.

“Fine.” Abigail sighs.

“You can come. But this doesn’t mean I trust you or that I’m on your side. If my mom decides to throw you in prison, I will personally help escort you there.”

“Understood.”

* * *

“Whoa.” Tally gasped, not able to contain her amazement as their cab dropped them off at the Bellweather summer house. Well, a mansion is actually more accurate.

It’s a massive two-storey house with Victorian-esque décor and a garden on one side with the beach on the other.

“Come on Tal.” Abigail started heading up the brick stairs through their garden towards the house.

Tally is holding onto the Bellweather’s arm for support, much to the woman’s annoyance. But secretly she’s glad Tally wouldn’t listen to her; she wouldn’t be able to make it up the stairs by herself.

And having to ask for help in front of the Spree isn’t something she wants to do.

Raelle is more open with her needing help as the girl has her arm around Scylla’s shoulder and the necro has her arm around Raelle’s back as they slowly make their way up.

“You sure no one’s here?” Anacostia asks, carrying most of their stuff.

“Positive. We have the house to ourselves.” Slowly but surely, the group makes their way to the double door, Abigail unlocks it by drawing a sigil on the handle.

“Whoa!” Tally exclaims again. If she thought the outside was impressive, the inside is a whole another story.

“Close your mouth Tal.” Abigail smirks at the redhead who finally manages to pull herself together looks down abashedly.

“Nice to see this is how the other half lives.” Scylla couldn’t help but remark, earning a side eye from the Bellweather. Abigail decides to ignore it and she goes about shouting out where everything is.

“…And there’s empty rooms right next to that corridor. Just grab whatever you want.” Abigail ends as she plops herself down into the ornate sofa in their living room. Her entire body thanking her for the comfort after the desert.

Tally takes off towards that direction, going into each and every room before settling one with the best view of the beach.

Raelle and Scylla shoots each other knowing looks before they themselves make their way towards one of the closest rooms.

Closing the door to their room, Scylla helps Raelle over to the Queen-sized bed and the blonde sinks into it, letting out a relieved sigh.

Scylla surveys the room and pulls open the curtain.

“Looks like we finally made it to the beach.”

Raelle peeks an eye open and finds Scylla standing in front of a massive window, looking out at the waves crashing over the shore.

“I guess we did.” Raelle breathes out, staring at the vision that is Scylla. The morning light casting a halo over the girl and Raelle couldn’t take her eyes off her.

“What?” Scylla asks, noticing Raelle staring.

“You’re so beautiful.” Raelle says, just like that night with the death cap. And just like back then, Scylla’s heart makes somersaults at the blonde’s confession.

It wasn’t the words in itself, but the way Raelle says it.

Like she’s finally rediscovering beauty. Like her whole world has been in black and white and this is the first time she’s seeing color.

“You know you already had me with that first ‘Beautiful’.” Scylla slowly makes her way towards the bed, inches her way over the blonde and kisses her with as much gentleness as she can muster. The blonde smiles into their kiss, reciprocating with much more strength than Scylla who’s afraid she’ll hurt the girl. Scylla lets the blonde lead, making sure they’re going on her pace. And it was Scylla that pulls away before they go any further.

“Did I?” Raelle asks afterwards, with a hint of uncertainty in her tone. And Scylla hated that she’s the reason for it.

“When did I stop being just a mark to you?” Scylla lays down sideways beside Raelle. Her head popped up with one hand. The other brushes a hair from Raelle’s cheek.

“You were never just a mark to me Raelle.” Raelle just gave her a questioning look, asking her to explain further. And Scylla is ready to, but this isn’t the time for that conversation right now.

“We’ll talk later I promise. No more lies.”

“But right now, you really need a shower.” Scylla hops off the bed. Raelle didn’t argue. The last time she showered was right before graduation.

“I would if I could actually move.” Raelle whined, Anacostia’s linking healed her a bit but after taking that long trek back to the plane and more uncomfortable plane rides, her body has never felt this sore before.

And now that they’re in a safe environment, every ache and pain that she’s been pushing off comes tumbling towards her.

“Come on, I’ll help you.” Scylla starts taking the blonde’s right boot off as Raelle watches. But before going for the other one, Scylla pauses.

“That is… if you want?” Scylla asks.

It seems they just jumped back to where they were right after they reunited and Scylla’s not complaining one bit but still, she wanted to be sure that they’re on the same page.

“I would love it Scyl.”

Scylla smiles, looking at the girl she loves with nothing but love and devotion.

It wasn’t long ago that they were in the dungeon, Scylla begging at Raelle to see that her feelings for the girl were all real.

And Raelle, rightfully so, couldn’t bring herself to believe the Spree agent and just left her chained to the chair as she screamed after her.

Both their hearts broke into a million pieces that day and Scylla thought that was the end.

But then Raelle came back.

And Scylla couldn’t help but think this was another form of torture from Anacostia.

She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

For Raelle to slap those chains back on and tell her about how this is just some cruel joke. How she’s going to die in the Caribbean and that no one will ever care about her.

But none of that happened.

She’s still alive. And Raelle’s still here. Telling her she loves her.

“You okay Scyl?” Raelle asks. Scylla didn’t realize that she’s stopped halfway through untying the laces from Raelle’s other shoe.

She proceeds to finish her task, and drops Raelle’s battered shoe onto the floor with a thud.

“I’m fine… Just… Thank you Raelle.”

“What for? You’re the one that saved me.”

“I saved you once, Raelle.”

“Whereas, you save me everyday.” Scylla looks at the woman she loves with tears in her eyes. She’s never felt more vulnerable than in this moment and Raelle is the only one allowed to see her this way.

“C’mere” Raelle asks, beckoning Scylla who climbs back onto the bed and settles herself in Raelle’s arms. Raelle places her arm around Scylla and Scylla curled up with her head on Raelle’s chest. Her ear right up against the woman’s strongly beating heart, right under where the knife wound would have been.

“I think… We save each other everyday.” Raelle looks down at the woman and places a gentle kiss on her lips.

They stayed like that for a while, Scylla listening to the rhythmic thumping of Raelle’s heart.

While Raelle closes her eyes and relishes in the feeling of having Scylla in her arms again, safe and sound.

It didn’t occur to her just how much of an impact Scylla has had in her life in the very short time they’ve been together.

Scylla is the main reason she decided to ditch her suicide mission, and actually started trying. Actually started living.

Her unit is her family.

She would die for them.

But Scylla…

She would live for Scylla.

“Come on, we really need to get cleaned up.” Scylla reluctantly pulls herself off from Raelle, earning a whine from the girl.

“Don’t wanna…” Raelle turns sideways and snuggles into the pillow. Exhausted Raelle is definitely the cutest.

“C’mon Rae” Scylla slaps the girl’s butt. But Raelle wouldn’t budge. She wouldn’t even be surprised if Raelle has already fallen asleep right then and there.

“Well, you leave me no choice.” Scylla shrugged and with no warning picked Raelle up and into her arms. The girl panicked and struggled in her grip out of instinct but then brought her arms around Scylla’s neck before settling herself in Scylla’s arms.

“Scyl…” Raelle whined hiding her face in the crook of Scylla’s neck but Scylla paid her no mind and carried her effortlessly into the bathroom. Scylla raised her brows as she entered. Her entire dorm room at Fort Salem could fit into this bathroom easily.

She placed Raelle on the marble sink, letting the woman lean back against the mirror. Raelle wasn’t being dramatic when she said she couldn’t move, her entire body ached in ways she’s never felt before and even the simplest movement takes too much effort. So she just sat there like a rag doll, letting Scylla maneuver her however she wants.

Scylla first went for Raelle’s braids which were caked with dirt and grime and whatever else the desert has to offer. Nimble fingers made work of untangling the knots, pulling the strands free from themselves. 

It took a while and a lot of patience before Scylla finally got all the braids off. Half of Raelle’s hair a frizzed up mess with clumps that’ll need to be cut off. Scylla gently threaded her fingers through Raelle’s hair, making sure all the knots were undone.

Raelle has her eyes closed as she relaxes under Scylla’s touch.

“Still with me Rae?” Scylla checked, making sure the girl hasn’t passed out. Raelle let out a grunt in response.

“I’m taking off your clothes next okay?” Another grunt.

She started slowly pulling down the zipper of Raelle’s jacket then proceeds to maneuver the blonde’s arms out of it. It took a bit of effort and more grunting from both sides but they finally managed and Scylla dropped the jacket on the floor. There’s no salvaging it anymore .

Next was the T-shirt but before pulling it off, Scylla paused, noticing the hole over where Raelle’s heart is. The hole left behind by the Camarilla blade.

Scylla glares at it, as if the hole has personally offended her then proceeds to pull the T-shirt over Raelle. She throws it down to the floor as well.

Raelle is just left in her bra and pants and Scylla could finally see the wound clearly. Whatever happened with the explosion healed the knife wound completely but didn’t take away the scar.

Scylla brought a hand over her mouth to stifle the sob that escaped her lips. It was only by blind luck that Raelle is still alive today. If Raelle hadn’t accidentally touched the Mycelieum when she did, she would have died when that knife went through her heart.

Reaching down, Scylla placed a gentle kiss on the scar over where Raelle’s heart is and Raelle’s eyes flitted open at the sudden sensation. She looks down at her chest after Scylla pulled away and notices the scar for the first time. Raelle frowned.

“Oh… I didn’t realize it left a scar.” Scylla looks up and Raelle notices her eyes glinting with unshed tears.

“Don’t worry. It’s sexy.” Shrugging herself off, Scylla chokes out a laugh.

“Sexy weird?”

“No… I’m the weird one. You’re just straight up sexy.” Scylla smirks, wiping the last remnants of tear from her eyes. And when she looks at Raelle again, there’s a certain look of hunger in her eyes. Raelle notices it too and gulps.

“Oh really?” Raelle gasps as she stares into Scylla's enchanting eyes, her breathing becoming labored and Scylla couldn’t help but dive in for a kiss. Raelle moans, both in surprise and in pleasure and kisses back with the same passion.

With whatever strength she has left, Raelle’s hands dropped to Scylla’s jacket, pulling her closer and her legs hooked around the girl’s thighs. Scylla’s hands fisting into Raelle’s unbraided hair.

“Scyl…” Raelle begs, chasing the girl’s lips. Scylla untangles her hands from Raelle’s hair and grasping onto Raelle’s hair with one hand while the other works its way down towards Raelle’s pants.

“You sure?” Scylla breaks their kiss and looks into Raelle’s eyes, her hands hovering above Raelle’s belt buckle.

“Please Scyl. I’m yours.” Scylla smiles pressing her lips against Raelle, letting the kiss say everything she’s ever wanted to in that moment.

_Thank You. I Love You. I’m Yours._

* * *

“You’re looking better.” Abigail comes out into the living room after spending at least an hour in the bathtub, soaking away the remnants of the desert.

Raelle and Scylla have both also showered, probably together, and now Raelle is sitting sideways on Scylla’s lap on the couch while Scylla braids the blonde’s hair.

Tally is sitting on the opposite couch, surfing though the channels on the TV. Abigail plops down right beside the redhead.

Anacostia walks in, also freshly showered.

“I’ve called Petra and asked her to get here discreetly. She’ll be here by tonight. And once we’ve made sure she doesn’t kill Ramshorn on sight, Craven and I will be heading back to Fort Salem as soon as possible. There’s only so many lies Izadora can spin.”

“Does she…” Abigail asks.

“No. I think it’s better she sees for herself that her daughter’s alive than hearing from me over the phone.” Abigail nods in understanding.

As much as she would want to spare her mother the heartache and let the woman know she’s alive as soon as possible, it’s probably a bad idea to do something like that over the phone. Especially since she’s still at Fort Salem and there’s no telling who could be listening in.

Abigail turns her attention to the uninvited/invited guest.

“Then we have time. So, start talking.” Abigail orders the necro who tenses in her seat. She finishes up the last few braids from Raelle and asks the blonde to move off of her so she can sit up straight as she faces the room.

Raelle takes her seat beside the girl, close enough so that Scylla knows she’s there.

“I’m still not going to tell you what it is that I have on the Spree.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Abigail scoffs.

It’s not just Scylla’s life that’s on the line here. They’re already in danger of treason by not having her arrested right away and then there’s the whole helping her escape thing that’s not helping their case at all.

“You’ll have to forgive me for not wanting to give away the only leverage I have against Petra Bellweather to her daughter.”

“Then what can you tell us.” Tally cuts in, trying to play mediator between the two.

“Anything else is fair game. I’ve got nothing to hide anymore.” Scylla shrugs, chancing a glance at the reason she’s doing all this. Raelle just seems content to be playing observer at this point.

“The mall attack. Walk me though it.” Anacostia says, wanting to understand more of what happened. Especially after she felt Scylla’s regret for her actions while linking with the girl.

“I didn’t do it.” Scylla looks at Anacostia and for whatever reason, Anacostia believed the girl even though she obviously saw the memory of her heading towards the mall with a balloon.

“Of course not.” Abigail scoffs in disbelief.

“Seriously, why do you even bother asking if you’re not going to believe anything I say?” Scylla says, throwing her hands up in annoyance. She doesn’t know why she’s even trying at this point.

“Are you saying the memories were false?” Tally asks trying to make sense of what she’s seen from Alder’s memories.

“No, you did see me with a balloon heading towards the mall. But I couldn’t go through with it.”

“It still happened.” Tally says, not accusingly but urging the girl to explain more.

“It did… Someone else carried out the attack. That someone was then executed for doing something that was assigned to me…” Scylla admits remorsefully, looking down at her hands. She can still remember the way Meg’s lifeless body felt in her hands as she carried her towards a secluded river bank and dropped her into the river like some sort of coward.

After Willa Collar drove off, leaving her behind on the side of the road with a dead body, she panicked. She was distraught, and terrified and she just wanted to get rid of the body as soon as possible and did the first thing she could think of.

Meg wasn’t a good person by any means. But still, she deserved better than that.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Raelle placed her hand on hers.

“Nice bosses you got there.” Abigail scoffs across from her and Scylla tenses under Raelle's hand.

“Like yours didn’t leave you to die in the middle of nowhere. Let’s face it Abigail, they’re no different. And we’re just pawns stuck in the middle, ready to be sacrificed when necessary.” Scylla scoffs staring daggers at the Bellweather who returns it the same.

“At least I get the privilege of saying that I chose my masters.”

“Scyl, maybe we should have that walk on the beach?” Raelle cuts in, seeing how close Abigail is to blasting the necro back to the Spree cell.

Scylla looks at Raelle and nods in understanding. This could be the only time they have to talk before Petra Bellweather gets here.

Raelle stands, holding out her hand for the necro who takes it and follows Raelle as they head out through the back door towards the beach.

Abigail follows their movement, not saying a word until they disappear through the door.

Abigail would never admit it but Scylla wasn’t wrong about them both being pawns. The fact that her and Raelle “died” because of Alder’s obsession with getting to the Tarim cell says everything.

“You trust her?” She cocks her head at Tally.

“So far, I haven’t seen anything that would make me not trust her.” Tally looks at the door the two left.

“She’s a traitor.”

“People change. You did.”


	8. I Hate Her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hate her.” Tally admits, her voice tinged with shame for ever feeling such an emotion towards anyone.
> 
> A few days ago, it would’ve surprised Abigail to hear such a word come from Tally but not now. Not after everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually went back and added a Raylla scene to the last chapter so if you could go back and check that out first, that'd be awesome.
> 
> It's a continuation of the scene after Raelle's all "You're so beautiful" to Scylla. I mean, we can never have enough of Raylla cuteness am I right?

They walked hand in hand along the secluded beach, the weather was chilly but the sun was beating down on them, warming them just enough to make the cold bearable.

Scylla noticed Raelle getting tired after a few minutes, their time in the shower still wasn’t enough to recharge the girl after literally dying then reviving in a whole another country only to have to wander through the desert for days without food and water.

Scylla pretended not to notice Raelle’s exhaustion for the girl’s sake and just guided her towards a shaded spot under a palm tree where they sat facing the water.

“Go ahead. Ask me anything.” Scylla looks at Raelle after they’ve both settled down and Raelle’s breathing evened out.

Raelle was staring out into the ocean, she didn’t give any indication of hearing Scylla’s words but Scylla knows she did. Raelle always listens when Scylla speaks.

“That first night in your room…” Raelle starts after going through all the questions she have for the girl.

“When you were telling me that my plan was hot garbage. Was that you or them?” Raelle turns towards Scylla. This was the one question she’s always wanted to know. In a way, that moment was the turning point for Raelle.

This time Scylla was the one that looked away from Raelle. She knows she needs to tell Raelle the truth about everything and Raelle has proven time and time again that she’s willing to stay.

But there’s still that sliver of doubt that creeps into her head. That makes her think that once Raelle knows the truth about everything, she’s going to realize that she deserves better.

“Both.” Scylla admits, nervously looking around at everywhere before managing to pull herself together and face Raelle. She owed it to Raelle to look her in the eyes and admit every wrong she’s ever done towards the fixer.

“The Spree wanted you. But the second we met at that fence, I didn’t realize it then but I wanted you as well.” She looks into Raelle’s scrutinizing eyes, trying to convey the truth behind her words.

“By the Spree, you mean my mom right?” Raelle asks, this is the first time she’s even mentioned her mom ever since Scylla’s reveal on the plane. And Scylla thinks Raelle is finally going to ask her to talk about Willa Collar but it seems Raelle is still dead-set on avoiding that topic.

“And Helen? How many times have you done that to me before?” Raelle changes the topic quickly.

“None. I swear Raelle. That was the only time and I regretted it the second I did it.” Of all the things she’s done, that moment was the lowest she’s ever gone with Raelle.

Raelle was asking questions about her past and she was terrified she was going to lose her. She wish that she could say the main reason she did it was because she, herself, wanted Raelle. But in truth, she did it because she was terrified of what the Spree would do to her if she failed to deliver Raelle to them.

The memory of what happened with Meg was still fresh in her mind and Scylla knew Mrs. W. would do to Scylla exactly what she did to Meg if she had failed that mission as well.

“But you still did it… Do you know how screwed up that is?” Raelle asks pain evident in her eyes.

“I know. I messed up. I have no excuse. All I can say is how truly sorry I am.” And Scylla knows no amount of explanation or apologies is going to take back the hurt she’s caused her.

“I just wish… the people that claim to love me wouldn’t lie to me so much.” Raelle muttered, looking down at the ground.

If Scylla could have one wish, it would be to reshape the world and make it so that no one would ever lie or hurt Raelle ever again. Not even her. Especially not her.

But she doesn’t have that power and all Scylla can promise Raelle is her truth.

“I know I can’t take back what I’ve done but I promise you Raelle. I won’t ever lie to you again.” And that is the absolute truth. Even if they somehow end up on opposite sides hating each other, Scylla promises herself that that is one vow she would never break.

“I know… But that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hurt.” Raelle tilts her head, chancing a glance at the girl and all Scylla can do is nod in understanding.

There was nothing else that could be said. What's done is done. Raelle is hurting and as much as Scylla wishes she could just make everything better for the woman she loves, this is something none of them has any control on.

“Why did you join them? The Spree… Is it just because of your parents?” Raelle questions, wanting to understand how someone like Scylla could join such an organization.

“To an extent…” Scylla starts, fidgeting with herself. Talking about her past has always been a struggle for the girl.

”Our life wasn’t perfect. We were running from place to place, always looking over our shoulders and never had a place to call home. But still, we were happy. Despite everything, my parents did their damn best to give me a good life far away from the killing.”

“And in one single moment, they were gone. Murdered right in front of my eyes, while I just hid and did nothing.”

“I was lost, and alone and the Spree swooped in promising revenge and a chance to help make a change, help make sure what happened to them didn’t happen to anyone else. And I just jumped at it.”

“But still Scyl… A terrorist organization?”

“I know. I’m not trying to justify what I’ve done. I’ve made a ton of mistakes. So much of that, there’s no coming back from…. I’ve killed people, Raelle. I may not have committed the mall attack but I _have_ killed countless humans in the name of the Spree.” Scylla admits, just laying everything out in the open.

“I know.” Raelle takes Scylla’s hand and places a gentle kiss on it and tilts her head, looking at the woman with nothing but love and understanding and Scylla can’t help but wonder what she did to deserve this.

“But Scyl, I hate to be that person that asks you to change to be in a relationship with me but-” Scylla shakes her head, fully understanding where Raelle is coming from.

_You were you, and I fell for you._

They both fell for each other through their flaws and all.

_Whoever you are, whoever you were. I’m in. No matter what happens, no matter what anybody else thinks, I’m with you._

They've both done messed up things in the past, Scylla especially. There's no denying that.

But still, instead of turning a blind eye and pretending the other person's past doesn't exist. They both fully acknowledges and accepts everything about each other.

Both past and present.

But things _do_ need to change if they want a future together.

“I know. I promise you, it’s all in the past now.”

 _Scylla_ needs to change.

“I can’t promise that I’ll just abandon all my ideals and start sprouting Alder’s bullshit but I _am_ ready to stop fighting the Spree’s fight. Start fighting for myself. And for us.” Scylla promises.

“And I’m with you Scyl. No matter what happens.” Raelle cups Scylla’s face, pulling the girl closer and seals her promise with a kiss.

“No matter what happens.”

* * *

“You okay Tal?” Abigail asks the redhead who’s been staring at the TV for the past hour. Staring, not watching.

“Hmm?” Tally asks, not really taking her eyes off the screen. It seems she really has a thing for detergent commercials.

“Tally.” Abigail raises her voice and only then did Tally break her concentration from the TV and snaps her head around towards the Bellweather.

“What?”

“I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Abigail takes a seat on the sofa opposite her, and crouches down with her elbows on her knees.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” Tally questions, looking at Abigail with a confused look.

“Raelle and I aren’t the only ones that went through something traumatic Tal… You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I just want you to know that you don’t need to suffer alone.” Tally’s façade breaks a tiny bit and she hangs her head, suddenly finding her hands very interesting.

Tally jumped into this rescue mission right after she got her youth back. She didn't have time to deal with what she went through and she was glad about it.

If she could just forget about everything during her time as a Biddy, she would. But she can't.

Her ordeal will forever haunt her and she knows there's nothing she can do about it but make sure it doesn't change who she is at her core.

Abigail gets up from her place and joins Tally by her side, placing an arm around the redhead and pulls her into her side. Tally leans into Abigail’s side, her head on Abigail’s shoulder and lets out a shuddering sigh.

“We’re all here for you Tal.”

Tally closes her eyes and relaxes completely for the first time in forever, knowing that she’s safe here with her unit.

Her Witches.

She lost everything that day. Both her family and her future.

And what’s worse was that she had no time to mourn, her connection to Alder and the other Biddies means that she’s never alone both mentally and physically. Right after they landed she was thrown into one war meeting after another, always following behind Alder like a dog on a leash.

At that time, she didn’t really have a chance to think about her predicament. She didn’t have the time to think about anything really.

But now, her thoughts are her own again.

She felt violated in the worst possible way.

Her memories tainted with those of Alder’s... Her innocence ruined. And she doesn’t know how she can come back from that.

“I hate her.” Tally admits, her voice tinged with shame for ever feeling such an emotion towards anyone.

A few days ago, it would’ve surprised Abigail to hear such a word come from Tally but not now. Not after everything.

Abigail just pulls the girl closer, rubbing her hand up and down Tally’s arm.

“I hate her too.”

* * *

Petra Bellweather makes her final few steps towards the door of her summer home and frowns, noticing the door handle. The door handle that’s supposed to be locked.

The only people that knows the Work to unlock it are Abigail and her current husband. Her husband is overseas on a mission and Abigail… Well, there’s no way her daughter could’ve done this.

Cautiously placing her luggage down on the floor, she takes out her scourge, holding it at the ready with one hand and places the other on the door handle.

Anacostia was pretty vague when she asked her to come here but she knows enough about the Sergeant to know that the woman wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important. So right after she ended the call, she dropped everything and made her way here.

She twists the handle, and nudges the door ajar, not making a sound. The second she steps into the house, she could hear the TV playing from the living room. So with her scourge at the ready, she approaches the room.

Entering the living room, she finds two figures fast asleep on the living room couch. The redhead she instantly recognized as Tally Craven who is supposed to be in Fort Salem and she’s cuddled up to-

Petra drops her scourge in shock.

This-this can’t be.

The noise wakes the two girls up who jumps from their seat, their training kicking in as they pull up a defensive position against their attacker.

But as soon as they realized who it is, they relaxed slightly. Abigail looks at her mother, waiting for her to say something but the older Bellweather just stands there in shock.

“That-that’s not possible.” Petra Bellweather shakes her head, staring at her daughter.

“Who are you?”

Abigail approaches the woman cautiously, putting her hands up so as not to startle the woman.

“It’s me, mom.” Abigail speaks softly.

“They told me you were dead. The General-”

“She was lying.” A voice speaks from behind and Petra turns around to find Anacostia, coming into the living room.

Petra turns back towards her daughter. Her Abigail.

“You’re alive.” Petra gasps out bringing her hand to her mouth.

“I am mom.” Abigail grabs onto Petra’s arms and Petra brings her hands to cups Abigail’s face. Her touch searching, making sure that she’s real.

“Oh Abigail!” Petra cries, and pulls her daughter into her arms. Abigail melts into Petra’s embrace, both of them holding onto each other for dear life.

* * *

“We should get back. Petra’s about to get here.” Raelle stands, patting all the sand off of her as much she can and holds out her hand towards Scylla.

The sun has already gone down and they spent hours just talking and occasionally, crying. Raelle asks Scylla one question after another and Scylla answers them all truthfully.

Raelle also came clean about her revealing the details of Scylla's capture to Petra Bellweather. And honestly, Scylla expected Raelle to have done worse after seeing how much her betrayal broke her, so Scylla was pleasantly surprised.

Willa Collar still seems to be a taboo topic for Raelle. The woman’s name was brought up multiple times during Scylla’s stories but Raelle seems to just glance that topic over and changes the subject as soon as Scylla looks like she’s about to talk about the older Collar.

Scylla takes Raelle’s hand and pulls herself up, then proceeds to brush the sand off of herself.

“Rae, before we go… Don’t you think we should talk about your mother?” Scylla asks Raelle cautiously. She knows Raelle wants to live in denial right now but there’s no telling what’s going to happen when Petra gets here, this could the only chance they have.

“No.” Raelle simply replies, her voice showing no emotion whatsoever.

“Rae-“

“Whoever that woman is, that’s not my mother. My mother died two years ago in a firefight in Liberia.”

“It’s not that simple Rae. You’re going to have to come face to face with her sooner or later. You can’t just pretend she doesn’t exist.”

“Why not? She did the same to me for two years straight.”

“Look Scyl, we’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it. But for now let me just focus on what’s in front of us.” Raelle says, noticing that Scylla wasn't going to drop the topic otherwise.

“Okay.” Scylla relents; she knows what Raelle’s doing isn’t healthy in the long run but she also knows enough about Raelle to know that pushing would only make it worse.

And just like that the topic was dropped and they started making their way back towards the house.

* * *

“Abigail please tell me you did not bring a Spree into our house.” Petra Bellweather reaches for her scourge when she sees Raelle and Scylla entering through the back door.

The two woman freezes in their step the second they entered the living room, and noticed the older Bellweather had arrived earlier than expected.

“That’s actually what I’ve been meaning to tell you mom.” Abigail starts, looking at Petra cautiously. She hadn’t explained Scylla's involvement in their rescue up till then and knowing her mom, it’s not going to go well.

Raelle instinctively steps in front of Scylla, placing herself between the two. Petra looks like she’s ready to windstrike the two back to Mongolia.

“Scylla’s the reason Raelle and I are alive right now. She claims to want to help. I know how you feel about consorting with the enemy but I owed her at least a chance.” Abigail rushes with her explanation, looking at her mother who's in a combat ready stance.

Tally and Anacostia looks between them, their postures alert. Ready to step in when necessary.

Petra seems to reconsider at the mention of her survival and looks at Scylla with scrutinizing eyes. If Scylla felt any disdain at being looked at with such harsh judgement, she didn’t show it. She just stood her ground and let Petra cast her eyes over her.

Before any of them could get their hope up, Petra shakes her head.

“I can’t believe you could be so naïve Abigail. Who’s to say she hasn’t alerted the Spree of our location? They could be on their way right now!”

Not surprising that Scylla’s one good deed did not cancel out her affiliation with the terrorist organization. Abigail flinches at the look of disappointment on Petra’s face.

“She should be in jail right now.” Petra points her finger at Scylla, spitting her words with such hatred.

Raelle tenses at the Bellweather’s words, her posture alert and ready to fight the Bellweather off when necessary. No way in hell are they taking Scylla away from her. Her hand itches for the comfort of her scourge which she conveniently decided to forgo after their shower.

“Ma’am please.” Tally speaks up from beside Anacostia.

“I’m a Seer and an empath and I can promise you that Scylla isn’t here to harm anyone.” Scylla looks at the redhead in shock. She knows they’re on better terms with each other than she is with Abigail but she didn’t expect Tally to come to her defense this way.

Turning to look at Tally, it seems Petra finally remembered Anacostia’s involvement after noticing the woman standing right beside the Seer. Tally's words, not making a dent in the older Bellweather's perception of the Spree agent.

“Anacostia, you know very well how much trouble they’re in if The General finds out they’ve been consorting with a terrorist. How could you have let this happen?” Petra asks Anacostia accusingly.

Anacostia looks at Petra, and for the first time, she had no answer. Petra was right, and the woman still had no idea that Anacostia’s the one that broke Scylla out of the dungeon in the first place.

She didn’t just _let_ this happen, she’s the one that orchestrated all this in the first place when she told Collar which seed to use to release Scylla from her chains. 

“I came of my own accord. And I will make sure Sarah Alder never finds out about anyone else’s involvement in this. ” Scylla joins the conversation for the first time. She's been advised beforehand by both Anacostia and Abigail to let them do the talking as Petra wouldn't believe anything that comes out of her mouth anyways.

But seeing that Anacostia was about to reveal the extent of their involvement, she had no other choice. No one else is going to go down for her actions.

“I have information that you’ll need in the fight against the Camarilla and the Spree. Information that I’m willing to trade.” Scylla explains, putting a hand on Raelle’s shoulder and urging her to move from her position. Raelle reluctantly takes a few steps sideways.

Petra scoffs.

“And what is it that you want? You know what? Don’t answer that, because we don’t make deals with people like you.”

“Sergeant Quartermaine, arrest this traitor.” Petra orders the Sergeant. Anacostia hesitates, looking between the two.

“That’s an order Sergeant.” It’s ingrained in Anacostia’s mind to follow her superiors orders and no matter how much she wants to stand up for Scylla, she can’t.

She shakes her head at Scylla apologetically and starts moving towards the woman.

“You’ll have to get through me first.” Raelle pulls Scylla behind her again.

“Are you disobeying a direct order Soldier?” Petra asks the Fixer, her voice dripping with authority.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Raelle says, staring straight into the older Bellweather’s eyes.

“Abigail, get your unit under control.” Petra orders, still not breaking eye contact with Raelle. Abigail and Tally looks at each other, both uncertain about which side they stand.

Torn between loyalty and duty.

Scylla decides to step in again before this could escalate into a full blown civil war. She comes out from behind Raelle, and approaches the woman slowly with her hands raised.

“There was a Spree attack a few days ago. A family of three. Am I right?” Petra Bellweather nods hesitantly, her gaze curious.

“I know why they were targeted.” Scylla reveals, finally stopping a few steps away from Petra.

Petra furrows her brow, trying to find any sort of deceit on the girls face. It’s clear Petra wants to ask Scylla but she just shakes her head disapprovingly, knowing better than to trust a Spree.

“Maybe so but we don’t negotiate with terrorists Ms. Ramshorn. Plus there are other ways to get you to talk.” The threat barely hidden in her tone.

“Torture? Feel free to ask Anacostia how that went.” Scylla smirks, trying to bring back the fake bravado she had when she went up against Sarah Alder.

“Maybe Sergeant Quartermaine just wasn’t using the right methods.” Petra taunted, leering at the girl. She wasn’t going to be threatened by a lowly Spree agent.

“I promise you, I won’t break.” Scylla looks straight into the Bellweather's eyes. If there is one thing she learned while with the Spree is how to bluff.

“We’ll see.”

The last thing Scylla saw was Petra Bellweather's smirk as she takes the last few steps towards the Spree, her hand shooting out towards Scylla before everything went black.


	9. Shackles Are Still Shackles.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You told me that the first Bellweather to serve in the army was a slave. But that’s not really true. Because WE’RE still slaves! You can spin it how you want but shackles are still shackles.”
> 
> “It’s about time we start breaking ourselves out of it.”

“Hey sleepyhead.” Raelle’s voice greets Scylla as she slowly comes to. Her head feels like it’s being wind-sheared from the inside. The second her eyes flitted open, the sudden bright light floods into her eyes, making everything worse.

Scylla squints her eyes shut and brings her forearm over her eyes to shield them.

Scylla groans.

This felt worse than the time her and her fellow first years snuck out into the woods in the middle of the night with some shrooms only to wake up the next morning in a necro lab with no recollection of what happened the entire night.

Scylla spent the entire next day with her head in the toilet, puking up the entire contents of her stomach which, for some reason, included tree bark.

Suffice it to say that was the last time she ever tried anything out of peer pressure.

“Scyl.” Raelle’s voice again, this time softer. Scylla is still too groggy and she can’t form proper thoughts in her head right now to make sense of where she is and why she’s having the mother of all hangovers but knowing that Raelle is here with her assures her.

Even though she has no idea what’s going on, she’s never felt safer.

She removes her arm from over her eyes and slowly fights through the pain, and manages to squint her eyes open.

Everything was a blur at first until she slowly manages to blink the haze away and the first thing her eyes focused on was Raelle looking at her with a mixture of worry and relief.

“Hey.” Raelle greets Scylla and Scylla wants to greet her back but both her mouth and her throats were too dry for her to form words. Scylla reaches for Raelle’s hand and squeezes it in greeting, Raelle squeezes back.

“Can you get up?”

Scylla nods and Raelle proceeds to help Scylla sit up and hands her a glass of water. Scylla gulps it all down in one go and hands it back to the girl.

“Better?”

“Much, thank you.” Scylla manages to croak out.

“What happened?” 

“What do you remember?” Raelle asks, looking at her cautiously.

Well… she remembers the desert, then her decision to join the Unit at the Bellweather’s summer house. And her talk with Raelle, then Petra-

“Oh.” Realization dawned on Scylla and she shoots up in her place, actually taking in the surrounding and she was surprised to find they’re back in their room at the Bellweather mansion.

Petra Bellweather is nowhere to be found.

“What happened?” Scylla asks again, this time fully knowing what she’s asking for...

Why is she here, with Raelle? Why is she not chained up in the basement, about to be tortured by the Bellweathers?

“Abigail happened.” Raelle smirks, her eyes shining with what can only be described as deep admiration and pride.

>>>flashback<<<

“Don’t you dare touch her!” Raelle shouts at the hands reaching to grab the ex-Spree agent. Raelle cradles Scylla’s prone figure, burying her in her arms. Both on the ground where Raelle fell after barely managing to catch Scylla after Petra dropped her.

Petra tries to grab Scylla’s body away from Raelle but she wasn’t having it. No one is laying a hand on Scylla on her watch.

“Abigail, take her to the basement.” Petra orders her daughter when it’s clear the Fixer wouldn’t give the girl up without a fight. But instead of following her orders like she usually does, Abigail hesitates.

She was torn. Her loyalties divided.

Abigail glances down at Raelle, who’s looking up at her, her lithe figure barely containing the woman’s fury. Abigail could read clearly the thoughts going through the blonde’s mind.

The most prevalent one is fear.

Fear that Abigail’s decision would make or break their unit. It’s clear Raelle would side with Scylla over Petra Bellweather and if she chooses to follow her orders like a good little soldier, she knows Raelle would never look at her the same again.

Raelle, that shitbird of a little sister of the Bellweather unit. When she thought of her life at Fort Salem, she could’ve never imagined even getting along with someone like Raelle. But somehow, the girl slowly but surely creeped into Abigail’s heart and made her place there. Raelle’s the little sister Abigail never wanted but somehow can't live without.

And then there’s her mother. The woman that gave her life, taught her everything she knows and the woman who is essentially the main driving force behind the person she is right now.

Petra Bellweather isn’t an easy woman to please. Her expectations, too high to ever live up to. But Abigail knows her mother only puts so much pressure on her because she wants her to succeed. She wants her to be the best version she can be.

That’s how Petra Bellweather shows her affection.

It feels like Abigal was torn between two sides of the same coin.

She has a duty to this country, to the United States constitution. And moreover, to her family.

**_"The first Bellweather to fight in this army was a slave. She deserves better."_ **

All the Bellweathers were raised with one goal and one goal in mind.

**" _You… are her wildest dream, understood?"_ **

Her entire life, all she wanted to do was to make her mother proud. To make a name for herself and prove to everyone that her status as a Bellweather isn’t just given. It’s earned.

If she does this, if she sides with her mother over Raelle and somehow manages to break Scylla, they could take down the Spree.

The Spree, who has a hand in the killing of thousands of innocents and will kill thousands more with no remorse.

She could help put a stop to that, save countless lives while also further cementing her family’s legacy in Fort Salem history.

But Raelle…

She knows if she does this, Raelle will never forgive her. She will lose her sister.

The sister she actually gave her life for and she knows without a doubt that she wouldn’t hesitate to do so again.

Not just because she’s grown to care for the girl. But because she’s been in Raelle’s head, she’s seen the girl’s past, how much pain she’s gone through and for whatever reason Abigail feels a strong urge of protectiveness over the girl.

She feels like it’s her duty to make sure Raelle doesn’t have to go through any sort of pain ever again.

When she thinks about Raelle’s past, it makes her want to burn down the entire institution because of how much they’ve taken from her.

The institution that she used to be proud to have been a part of, now, tinged with shame over how badly they’ve treated the people that aren’t them.

Criminalizing people that won’t blindly obey the rules that are written for them over 300 years ago, and punishing those that dare to stand out. 

Raelle would’ve rather died than become a slave to the constitution and after seeing the world through her eyes, Abigail didn’t blame her.

But what does that say about this system?

This is a broken system built out of necessity for the survival of their species hundreds of years ago.

But things are different now.

And things definitely need changing.

Abigail looks at Raelle, clutching onto Scylla’s body with such tenderness yet her body language shows clear as day that she’s barely holding herself together.

Raelle went from wanting to get blown up in the frontlines to someone that would fight tooth and nail for a chance at a future with the woman she loves.

And Abigail looks at Tally, the young woman who used to shine with so much light now tainted with hatred after being confronted with the truths about their world.

Then at Scylla; Abigail’s never liked the necro from the beginning and she has trouble trusting someone that has lied so much in the past, but the one thing she knows with absolute certainty is that Scylla’s love for Raelle is true.

Abigail could’ve laughed at the situation. Just yesterday, she was asking Scylla to make a choice. And now it’s her turn to make one as well.

Abigail sighs, and Tally shoots her a nod at her in understanding and acceptance, already sensing her leader’s train of thought.

She turns towards her mother, sending out a silent prayer to the goddess to grant her the courage she needs.

“No.”

“Excuse me?” Petra looks at Abigail incredulously. Abigail’s never said “No” to her before. Not ever.

“No, I’m not going to help you torture Scylla.” Abigail crosses her arms, jaws clenched, head tilted upwards. Standing her ground.

“Abigail, I am your superior and I am ordering you to detain this traitor.” Petra points at Scylla, spitting those words with barely contained anger.

The sky dimmed outside as storm clouds start forming overhead.

“But you are also my mother and you will listen to what I have to say.” Abigail steps up towards the General. Going toe to toe against the woman that made her who she is today.

A flash of light, thunder rumbles as more storm clouds starts gathering outside.

Raelle looks up at her leader with new found respect and Tally steps up right beside Abigail. Both standing as shield between the couple and the General.

Anacostia looks like she wants to join as well but stands on the sidelines knowing this is something the Bellweather unit must handle alone.

“Abigail, I don’t need to remind you of your duty to this country.”

“No ma’am. Because this is me, making a choice to stand up for our people. For ALL our witches.”

Abigail’s face softens, looking at Petra pleadingly. Her posture unclenching, almost folding in on herself like a taut spring being released.

“Please mom, all I’m asking is for you to open your eyes to the truth. Look around you. Our people are dropping like flies, and for what?”

“What are we even fighting for?”

It seems like the entire weight of the world fell onto Abigail at that moment. Her entire body showing the effects of everything she’s gone through: The Bellweather wedding, City Drop, The Camarilla, Witchbomb, and the desert.

“Just for a second, forget about our Bellweather name, forget about our oath to the country. And think.”

“What are **_you_** fighting for mom?”

Outside, lightning flashes. More thunder sounds, and a crackle of electricity can be heard before multiple lightning strikes along the beach right in front of the house.

>>>flashback<<<

“So in short, we have three days to convince her not to turn you in. Tally and Anacostia went back to Fort Salem right afterwards. They both told me to tell you they’re rooting for you though... Well, Tally did. Anacostia gave me a look which I interpreted as her showing support.” Raelle finishes her explanation and Scylla looks at her in surprise. Who would’ve thought, Abigail Bellweather coming to her rescue.

“And what, Abigail’s anti-military now?”

“No, she’s definitely the same woman as before just with a clearer perception of our current climate.” Raelle shakes her head. Out of everyone, Raelle’s most proud of Abigail’s growth and day after day, the Bellweather keeps surprising her.

“She probably won’t admit it, but I think you inspired her.”

“Me?” Scylla laughs self-deprecatingly. “Yeah right.”

“You showed her that love is worth fighting for.”

Raelle looks at Scylla with so much respect and admiration. And Scylla can only just smile.There are no words to convey the amount of gratitude she feels towards Raelle.

She still can’t understand how this beautiful, selfless healer could see her that way even after hearing about everything she’s done.

Scylla leans forward and kisses Raelle, letting the kiss show how grateful she is for Raelle. Raelle reciprocates with the same gratefulness, they both smile into the kiss.

Scylla pulls back after a while. Leaning back against the headboard, she winces. The sudden movement shooting pain through her head and she clamps her eyes shut, steadying herself.

“Scyl…” Raelle looks at Scylla hesitantly. Scylla hums.

“Will you… let me heal you?” Raelle asks cautiously and Scylla flicks her eyes open.

Scylla knows why Raelle’s asking for permission, There’s a possibility that linking could let her see into Scylla’s memories and Raelle didn’t want to do that without Scylla’s permission.

“No.” Scylla shakes her head.

“Oh… Okay.” Raelle tries to shrug it off but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting. She thought they’ve gotten to the point where Scylla trusted her enough to let her in.

“Wait, no Raelle.” Scylla says, seeing how the blonde’s face fell. She takes Raelle’s hand, and Raelle just looks down at it, not meeting Scylla’s eyes.

“It’s not because of the linking.” Scylla says, Raelle flicks her eyes up towards Scylla.

“It doesn’t matter whether you see my memories or not. I told you, I’ve got nothing to hide from you anymore.” Raelle tilts her head, not understanding why Scylla wouldn’t let her heal her if that’s true.

“I just… don’t want to be the reason you’re in any more pain.” Understanding flashed through Raelle’s face. But Raelle shakes her head.

“Scyl, it’s just a headache. I’ll be fine.”

“And so will I.” Scylla squeezes Raelle’s hand.

“But-“

“Please Raelle. Just let me do this for you okay?”

Raelle has a tendency to put others before herself. She would dive in to take someone else’s pain no matter the cost and that is something Scylla both love and hate about Raelle.

And this is also something the Military will always expect of Raelle as a Fixer. To bring her along on wars so that she could heal as much soldiers as she can, then throw her away when she’s incapable of taking on more.

She can’t stop Raelle from taking other people’s pain, but she can stop Raelle from taking hers.

“Okay.”

* * *

“Anacostia. What a surprise.” General Alder greets Anacostia as she enters, barely looking up from where she was hunched over on her desk as she signs one paper after another from the stack placed in front of her. Sarcasm evident in her tone.

“Apologies for my absence, General. I was following up a lead on the Camarilla.” Anacostia stands at attention as she reached the opposite end of the desk, it’s only the two of them and of course, Alder’s Biddies in the room. The Biddies all pauses whatever they were doing and turns to stare at the drill sergeant.

“And?” Alder glances up at Anacostia.

“It was a false lead.” Anacostia shakes her head, letting out a disappointed sigh.

“What’s going on Anacostia?” Alder purposefully drops the pen she was holding on, onto the desk and leans back against her chair in a sort of casual countenance that also exudes immense power.

“Pardon?”

“I raised you, remember? We both know damn well there wasn’t any Camarilla lead. You would’ve told me if it was and you wouldn’t have gone off alone.” Alder states, regarding the woman carefully, Anacostia holds the General’s stare, not saying a word.

“Is this about that Ramshorn girl?” Alder asks when Anacostia wouldn’t reply, and Anacostia barely managed to hold out her sigh of relief. Alder just gave her what she needed to maintain her cover.

“She wasn’t taking Collar’s death very well.” Anacostia decides to just go with it. It’s better than Alder knowing the truth about Abigail and Raelle.

“So I’m guessing she hasn’t revealed anything about the Spree’s plans then?” Sarah Alder brushes the topic of her soldier’s death as if they were a mere inconvenience and it takes everything in Anacostia not to confront the General about it.

Seeing Alder puppet the President was what finally made her question everything. And the more she thinks about Alder’s actions in a more scrutinizing view, the more she realizes how blind she was to the truth. Sarah Alder has never put the lives of her people before herself, and every move she makes is only to ensure her position with the witches.

“She still doesn’t trust me yet, but I’m getting close. She has no one else to lean on right now.” Anacostia replies simply.

“Good, keep working that angle. With the Camarilla’s reappearance, we need to take the Spree out as soon as we can.”

“Of course General.” Anacostia nods.

“Just make sure to come up with better lies for your absence from base next time.” Alder picks up her pen again and resumes signing her papers; a clear dismissal.

“Actually, I would like to make one request.” Anacostia hasn’t moved from her position.

“I’m listening.” Alder doesn’t glance up this time and kept signing the papers. Anacostia clears her throat, straightening herself in her stance to portray as much professionalism in her next words.

“I would like to take Tally Craven under my wing.” Alder pauses in her motions, but doesn’t interrupt. Anacostia takes this as a cue to continue.

“She doesn’t want to go to War College without her unit. And for someone with her gifts, I think one-on-one training will help her advance much faster and we can have her battle ready in no time.”

Alder leans back in her chair again, taking in Anacostia’s words thoughtfully.

“I’ll consider it.”

* * *

“Mom… Please look at me.”

Early next morning, Abigail finds her mother in her home office. There was so much left unspoken last night. Petra hasn’t spoken to any one of them after she allowed Raelle to take Scylla back to their room with conditions that the Spree not leave the room without permission.

She wasn’t ignoring Abigail out of spite, she just needed time to process and think.

To say Petra was shocked at Abigail’s refusal to follow direct orders would be an understatement. Abigail has never been one to break the rules and Petra thinks it’s Abigail’s supposed death that somehow changed her.

For the better or for worse? She’s not entirely sure.

“I just can’t believe your blatant disregard for the rules Abigail. After everything I’ve taught you.” Petra leans against the desk with her arms crossed, shaking her head in clear disapproval.

“You taught me to be strong, mom. To stand up and fight for what I believe in.” Abigail stands at attention in front of Petra, back straight. A perfect soldier.

“You believe in Scylla Ramshorn now?”

“Of course not.” Abigail scoffs.

“But I believe in my unit. If Tally says Scylla isn’t here to harm anyone, I believe her and I know Raelle will make sure Scylla doesn’t try anything against us.” Abigail explains, she still has yet to trust the Spree agent but the fact that Tally and Raelle trusts in the necro was enough for her.

“You’re supposed to be their leader Abigail. Not the other way around. You followed that Collar girl to her death, and you’re believing in Tally Craven’s _feelings_ about that traitor’s intentions.”

 _“They’re both naturally gifted.”_ Abigail wants to say but she knows her mother. The woman puts more faith in hard work than any sort of gifts. And anything she says to try and convince the woman otherwise would be like pouring water in the sand.

“This isn’t a dictatorship mom, I’m not going to be that kind of leader. Plus this is bigger than just my abilities in leading my unit. This is about doing something right for a change.”

“Do you have any idea what you’re talking about Abigail? You’re talking about mutiny.”

Petra isn’t blind to what’s going on but she’s also not blind to how powerful Sarah Alder is. The Bellweathers didn’t maintain their High Atlantic status by making an enemy out of Sarah Alder.

“I’m not Alder’s biggest fan but that woman didn’t survive over 300 years out of sheer luck. She’s not someone you want to be going up against. It’s not just your life on the line here Abigail. Think about our family.”

“I AM mom.” Abigail presses.

“You told me that the first Bellweather to serve in the army was a slave. But that’s not really true. Because WE’RE still slaves! You can spin it how you want but shackles are still shackles.”

“It’s about time we start breaking ourselves out of it.”

* * *

“Rae, promise me one thing.” Scylla tilts her head up from Raelle’s chest. That position is slowly becoming her favorite, Raelle’s heartbeat grounding her to the moment, reassuring her.

“Anything.” Raelle answers easily.

“If after the 3 days, they still decide to send me to prison…” Scylla starts and Raelle frowns, already knowing what Scylla’s going to say next.

“You’ll let me go.”

“You can’t be serious.” Raelle scoffs, and Scylla sits up on the bed. Facing Raelle.

“Rae-“

”No, Scyl. What happened to ‘no matter what happens’?” Raelle also sits up on the bed, her posture tense at the thought of losing Scylla again.

“I know what we promised but if you try to fight back, you’ll only get yourself in trouble. You’ve proven yourself time and time again that you would choose me over anything. And for someone that’s never had that… You have no idea how much it means to me.”

“But… your unit needs you right now. And I won’t have you choosing me over them.” Scylla hates that they’re on opposite sides, that Raelle choosing her could possibly mean she would lose her sisters and vice versa.

She can be a pretty selfish woman when it comes to a lot of things but not with Raelle. There's nothing she wouldn't do, no one she wouldn't sacrifice to make sure Raelle gets the life she deserves. With or without her.

Before Raelle could reply, a knock sounds at the door. Raelle sighs, annoyed at the interruption and shoots her a look. Scylla nods in understanding.

“Come in.”

Abigail walks in and instantly notices the tense atmosphere in the room. She take a quick glance over at Scylla, making sure she’s okay after the way Petra dropped her.

“She wants to talk to you.” Abigail nods at Scylla, her tone not revealing anything about Petra's intentions. Scylla doesn’t say anything but gets up to follow. Raelle does the same.

“Alone.” Abigail, puts a hand to stop Raelle from following but Raelle wasn’t having it.

“No. I’m not letting her go alone.”

“Rae, I’ll be fine. I can handle myself.” Scylla assures her but Raelle just shakes her head.

“I know, but you shouldn’t have to.”

“Raelle she just wants to talk. It’s not an interrogation. Plus I’ll be there.” Abigal says, an unspoken promise that she’ll protect Scylla if it comes to it. As much as Raelle trusts Abigail, she knows Abigail and Scylla alone won’t stand a chance against Petra.

“I trust you Abigail but I don’t trust your mother. She already tried to arrest Scylla once.” Raelle stares straight at Abigail, and seeing the dedication in Raelle’s eyes, Abigail knows there’s nothing she can do to stop her.

“Where she goes, I go.”


	10. She's A Spree Through And Through.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t tell me she’s got my own daughter under her spell as well. She’s nothing but a manipulative little girl that will turn on us the first chance she gets. Don’t you see Abigail? This is what she does. Charm people like you to get what she wants, then throw them off rooftops once they start to become a threat. She’s a Spree through and through. And nothing she does will change who she truly is deep down.”

“Please, take a seat.” Petra gestures Scylla towards the chair placed in front of her desk. After Abigail’s failed attempts at trying to get Raelle to stay back in the room as per Petra’s instructions, the three of them enters to meet with the awaiting Bellweather in the office of her vacation home. 

Abigail led the way, while Raelle and Scylla follows closely behind. Taking a glance backwards at the two, she noticed them gawking around the office in awe. It still takes her by surprise when she realizes that this isn’t something a lot of people grew up with. She spent most of her youth surrounded by High-Atlantics that the massive display of wealth and history is something she's used to seeing at every turn.

She didn’t notice it before, but every other room in their vacation home is free of anything army-related while Petra’s office is the opposite. Everything in the room seems strategically placed.

Following the two girls’ stare, Abigail tries to view the room from their perspective, she’s finally realizing her mother’s intentions with the various war memorabilia, medals and portraits of their family line dating back to the beginning of the witches army: a definite power move.

An intimidation tactic to anyone that dares enter the Bellweather matriarch’s homecourt. And a not-so-gentle reminder of the Bellweather family line and it’s place in history.

Scylla felt… insignificant. 

Her parents spent their entire life making sure they stayed hidden, that no trace of them would be left behind while they moved from place to place.

Taking on different names and persona every time they enter a new neighborhood, that the only way they would be remembered in history is through each other. And now they’re both dead.

And Scylla’s the only one left that’ll carry on their memories.

There are no paintings where she could point to and tell people the story about how her ancestors helped changed the world, no medals she could proudly display in a house that she could call her own...

Not because all her ancestors were dodgers as well, they didn’t start out that way. But because her parents changed their last names after they deserted the army together and wouldn’t tell her what their real name was.

And Scylla was proud to be a Ramshorn that she never felt the need to ask them.

It was only after she arrived at Fort Salem-where as much as they try to pretend otherwise, it’s still a place where hierarchies are directly affected by their matrilines-that she started to wonder where she came from. Could her great-grandparents have been a part of army that led the battle of Juarez or were they one of the casualties in the Second Mexican War?

Scylla could’ve easily looked them up at Memorial Hall but her parents themselves didn’t want her knowing about their family history for whatever reason so she decided to honor their wishes and stayed away so that she wouldn’t even be tempted to look into it.

“Thanks but I’ll stand.” The three of them reaches the desk. A lone chair is placed right in front of the desk where Petra is currently standing behind, undoubtedly for Scylla. 

Scylla looks at the chair in disdain. A lone chair, placed more or less in the middle of the room brought back memories of the dungeon especially when the person standing on the other side is someone she sees as no different than General Alder.

“I insist.” Petra presses. Placing her hands on her desk she leans into it slightly so that she’s staring down at Scylla. The hard edge to her tone barely disguised. She’s in charge right now and she’s going to damn well make sure Scylla knows it.

“She says she’ll stand.” Raelle steps in, taking her place right beside Scylla. Petra looks at the girl warily then turns around towards Abigail. Abigail just shrugs. What else could she have done? Raelle is nothing if not persistent.

“I don’t think I need to remind you that you’re a prisoner here Ms. Ramshorn.” Petra drops the niceties, the time for pretense is over. 

“No ma’am.” Scylla crosses her arms, staring slightly up at the older Bellweather with her brows raised. She went up against Sarah Alder and managed to hold her own, she’s not going to be intimidated by Petra Bellweather in the slightest.

“You’re not planning on making this easier for any of us, are you, Ramshorn?” Abigail chimes in as stands at the side of the table, taking her place in the middle of the two head-strong women. Ready to step in when necessary.

Scylla smirks at the younger Bellweather in challenge.

She’s not here to beg for her life; she has something to offer and she’s not going to let them intimidate her into giving them everything they want. 

“It’s okay, looks like we’ll just have to get straight to the point.” Petra nods at Scylla; she may not trust the woman in the slightest but Petra can respect someone that doesn’t try to suck up on anyone even if their life is at stake.

“You told us you have information that would help us take down the Spree.”

“I did.” Scylla nods.

“And what is it you want in return.”

“I mean… What else? Freedom, liberation... The usual.” Scylla shrugs casually, crossing her arms.

“The usual...” Petra parrots, sarcasm evident in her tone.

“And what makes you think we would trust anything you say?”

“Trust? There you guys go again with that word.” Scylla scoffs, she’s getting really tired of hearing it used against her at every turn.

“Trust is a two way street. And I’m giving you mine every second that I’m here.” Scylla’s eyes gestures around the room. The room where every inch is a stark reminder of the fact that she is in enemy turf, of her own accord.

“It’s not really trust when you have one of my soldiers under your thumb, protecting you at every turn.” Petra eyes Raelle.

Apart from defending Scylla’s wishes when they first entered, Raelle hasn’t chimed in the conversation in the slightest. It’s obvious she’s chosen Scylla’s side but when it comes down to the question of Spree vs Fort Salem, Petra is curious to see who Raelle would side with. 

Raelle just raises her brow in challenge, still not uttering a word, not even in defense against Petra’s accusations of Scylla having Raelle under her spell.

Technically what Petra said was true, she won’t deny it. But it goes both ways too, Scylla wouldn’t be here going through all this if it didn’t.

If Petra does decide to send Scylla to prison, they all know Raelle alone wouldn’t be able to protect Scylla. Especially if Abigail does keep the promise she made to Scylla back on the plane by _personally helping to escort Scylla there_.

This is another of those you’ve made your bed, now lie in it moments. It’s a well-known fact that being sent to the Caribbean prison means a death sentence, whether it be sooner to later.

No witch has ever made it out of there alive and Scylla wouldn’t be the exception.

Which means Scylla is basically gambling with her life against two Bellweathers that can’t see past the Spree label. She doesn’t regret her decision to choose Raelle over the Spree one bit but the fact that her survival depends on the two woman standing in front of her trusting any information she would trade with them… 

Scylla doesn’t want to admit it but the odds of making it are beyond scary.

She knows she needs to do something to gain the Bellweather’s trust if she wants to survive this. So, going against every fiber of her being, she decides to drop her defensive walls just a tiny bit.

“Look, I’m tired. Aren’t you?” Scylla sighs her face slowing morphing from it’s hard edge to a more open, more vulnerable one.

The real one.

“All this back and forth about whether we can trust each other or not. When we’re both desperate for what the other can offer.” Scylla grips the backrest of the chair with one hand, leaning onto it, drawing strength. 

“Admit it, the Spree attacks are getting more frequent, and seemingly random. And the Camarilla are nowhere to be found which probably means they’re readying for war.”

Petra doesn’t interrupt, but it’s clear in the way her face falls that what Scylla said was true.

“And then there’s Sarah Alder with her own agenda; constantly disregarding the lives of her own witches in her pursuit of power.”

“I know for sure that I can help with at least two of those problems and the third, well, if done right with the first two, I’m hopeful the rest will solve itself.” She raises her brow, the meaning behind her words barely hidden. The unspoken promise of a mutiny hanging between them.

_Take down the Spree and the Camarilla and you can challenge Alder’s authority to take her down as well._

“The only thing stopping any of those from happening is your distrust.” 

Petra considers Scylla carefully. She wasn’t wrong. Fort Salem is battling a war on two sides and this girl seems to be in the middle of everything.

“Say we do decide to let you stick around and use whatever information you may have… What would you want in return?”

Scylla glances towards Raelle, they hadn’t talked about what this could mean for the two of them if Scylla does manage to avoid prison. The both of them have been let down too much in their past to start talking about a future that seemed too uncertain.

“Immunity.” Scylla turns back towards Petra who scoffs as if that’s the most absurd thing she’s ever heard.

“We’re witches Scylla. We don’t get perks like the humans do.”

* * *

Tally brings her scourge and swings, her now youthful limbs performing a graceful arc before hitting the mannequin with perfect precision. The sounds of the target falling apart into multiple pieces echoing inside the empty arena. 

Performing a swivel on her feet, she turns towards another approaching mannequin. Taking it down with the same amount of fury.

Then a third. 

And a forth.

“Normally I would ask who died-” A voice startled Tally from behind. She whips around towards the intruder, her scourge at the ready. 

Anacostia reserved this room so that the two of them can train in private after Alder agreed to let Anacostia mentor Tally. The drill sergeant isn’t here yet but Tally decided to get warmed up a bit before she arrives.

After the day she’s had, she definitely needs to scourge a some more mannequins... A lot more.

What with trying to rescue Abigail and Raelle from the desert then dealing with the Scylla issue, she totally forgot about Abigail and Raelle’s funeral. The funeral in which Alder decided that letting her give the speech is doing Tally a favor somehow.

A few hours after her and Anacostia sneaked back into Fort Salem, she was being called to give a speech in front of a bunch of strangers.

Neither family members from both Raelle and Abigail’s side manage to make it to the funeral. Tally knows why Petra isn’t here but she was surprised to see that Edwin Collar didn’t make it to the funeral as well.

She doesn’t know how she’s going to give Raelle this information. The girl is already going through enough heart-break because of one parent, Tally doesn’t want to give Raelle something else to be upset about. 

“-but I guess we both know the answer.” It was Izadora. She somehow managed to enter the room without Tally noticing and walks towards the redhead casually.

Tally grips her scourge tight as she stares at the woman. It seems Scylla isn’t the only one lacking in social skills, it’s probably another less than favorable necro trait. 

“Don’t they teach you sensitivity training before letting you become a teacher?” Tally retorts. 

“Somehow I don’t think that’s what you’d want, especially after hearing your eulogy. What was it you said? _You can keep your condolences to yourself. Condolences doesn’t help Abigail and Raelle, what helps is you keep **questioning** and you keep fighting._” 

The way Izadora says the word “questioning” as if there’s a hidden meaning, Tally suspects Izadora knew the truth. The woman has been dropping hints left and right, waiting for Tally or Anacostia to break and tell her something but the both of them have been united in their silence.

“General Alder doesn’t seem particularly happy about it.” The necro teacher states, rather coyly. 

“I’m sorry but this is a private training. Any reason you decided to just waltz in unannounced?” Tally knows she’s being rude to her superior. As a teacher, the woman has just a right to be in here as much as Anacostia but she spent the better part of the morning having to both fake smile and cry through her two sisters’ supposed funeral. Tally’s really not in any mood to be fake nice to Izadora as well. 

To her credit, Izadora doesn’t pull rank over Tally.

“I actually came by because I needed your help.” Izadora grew serious.

“What with?” This intrigued the redhead, what would a necro teacher want with her? Izadora regards her cautiously.

“I need to know if you’ve noticed anything different about Raelle Collar right before her death.” Out of everything she could've said, this wasn’t a question she expected.

“Different how?” Tally furrows her brow, not understanding why that’s important enough for Izadora to seek out Tally right after the funeral.

“Did you notice any sort of infections on Raelle’s body?”

“Infections? What are you talking about? What is this about?” Tally asks again getting frustrated at Izadora’s answers or it’s lack-thereof.

“She visited our necro facility looking for Scylla Ramshorn a while ago. And I was afraid she may have contracted something during her visit.”

Tally finally realizes what Izadora is talking about. The Mycelieum.

Raelle thinks that’s the reason why her and Abigail didn’t die from the Camrilla blade and Tally is itching to ask Izadora everything about it but she had to keep up her pretense.

“Why does it even matter now?”

“It’s not important.” Izadora shrugs nonchalantly. 

“It obviously is if you had to search and question me about it right after her funeral.” Tally pointed out.

“Just… let me know if you think of anything okay?” Izadora avoids the questions and turns around, leaving the same way she came in; not sparing a single glance backwards.

* * *

“Is it true?” Abigail asks her mother once Raelle and Scylla have been sent back to their room. Petra brings two glass of whiskey and hands one to Abigail as they both take a seat at the center table.

“About the Spree attacks.” Abigail continued, holding her glass with both hands and looking down at it with a frown evident on her face.

And Petra sighs, letting her face drop once they’re behind closed doors.

“The one she mentioned yesterday was just one of many. There’s four more we’ve identified to be the works of Spree but there could be more that hasn’t made it to our radar yet.”

“And there’s nothing connecting the victims?” Abigail looks up at her mother who is leaning against the couch, sitting casually with her legs crossed.

“None that we’ve found. But apparently that girl has the answer and she’s dangling it over us until we give her what she wants.” Petra downs the glass in one go.

“With what’s at stake, don’t you think getting her that immunity is a small price to pay? If the information she has to offer can actually help us take down both the Spree and the Camarilla, it doesn’t seem like such a big decision.” Abigail pointed out.

“That’s if she actually has the information. I’ve dealt with people like her, she’s not the first Spree that we’ve come across that offered us information in exchange for freedom. They all know less than they think. And I don’t think she’s the exception.”

“And the fact that, that siren actually managed to charm one of our own to do her bidding… There’s nothing more dangerous than letting a snake like that into our inner circle.” Petra places her empty glass onto the center table with a thud. Her contempt towards Scylla obvious. 

“Raelle isn’t as blind to the truth as you’re making her out to be. She knows who Scylla is and what she’s done but she chooses to see the good in her. And I’m starting to think maybe we should give her the benefit of the doubt as well.”

Just a few days ago, Abigail could never see herself standing up in defense of the Spree. But this is bigger than her dislike for the girl.

If by giving Scylla the chance, they could also save thousands more lives in the future, Abigail is willing to take that chance… But it seems Petra Bellweather doesn’t see it that way.

“Don’t tell me she’s got my own daughter under her spell as well. She’s nothing but a manipulative little girl that will turn on us the first chance she gets. Don’t you see Abigail? This is what she does. Charm people like you to get what she wants, then throw them off rooftops once they start to become a threat. She’s a Spree through and through. And nothing she does will change who she truly is deep down.”

* * *

“I’ve given you and your family time to grieve and heal. It’s time for you to hold up your end of the bargain.” Sarah Alder speaks once she managed to get Khalida and Adil away from the rest of the Tarim.

They’re taking a walk along the pond in Fort Salem and it didn’t take Alder a few minutes until they were outside of the crowded parts when she reminded of the deal Khalida made. The safely of her people from the Tarim Basin in exchange for their songs. 

“Our songs have been kept in our family for generations, why do you feel the need to take it as your own and use it for something that it is not intended for?” Khalida looks up at the woman, her figure maybe that of a kid but one can see clearly the wisdom behind her eyes. 

“How can you be sure of its intent? Isn’t it up to the witch on what it is used for?” Alder retorts. 

“Perhaps.” Khalida stops walking and turns towards Alder, holding her hands out.

Alder looks at it warily, after what happened last time. Taking a quick glance around the area, there are still soldiers and recruits milling about, her Biddies follows behind them as usual. She shoots her Biddies a knowing look who nods back at her in understanding.

Reassured, she then takes the girl’s hands.

Closing her eyes, Khalida starts singing an eerie song that echoed throughout the trees. The birds seem to go silent out of respect. Hesitantly, Sarah Alder closes her eyes as well and copies the girls’ note, joining in on the vocalization.

Not even a moment later, Alder’s eyes flit open as she feels a disturbance in the surroundings. The sight she is greeted by is something that can only be described as otherworldly. It seems they’ve slipped into a pocket of space that is neither there nor here. They could see the people around them, milling about but they couldn’t see the two powerful witches standing right in front of them.

Alder looks around in wonder and finally nods at Khalida. 

Your debt is paid.

* * *

“Izadora!” Tally calls out from a distance. After telling Anacostia about her encounter with Izadora, she was advised by her new mentor to get close to the necro teacher to find out all she can about the Mycelieum. 

Of course they both have to be careful about revealing any information regarding Raelle and Abigail, but finding out about Raelle’s connection to the Mycelieum is still a top priority.

They have no idea the lasting effects of coming back from the dead in the way those two did, and they promised the two girls before leaving that they would find out what they can while they’re back at base.

After searching for Izadora in the necro facility, she was guided towards a part of the forest, deep behind the necro building where she finds the woman in question. From a distance, Tally notices Izadora was holding something in her hand and is looking at it with a frown on her face.

Upon hearing Tally’s voice Izadora looks up in surprise and hastily drops the object in her hand, it disappears into the grass near Izadora’s feet. The woman takes a few steps forwards for good measure and meets Tally halfway. 

“Tally Craven, I take it you’ve remembered something concerning Raelle Collar?” Izadora asks. 

“No, not yet… Actually I was hoping you could tell me more about what it is you’re looking for so that it would help me narrow it down.” Tally says, the lie already leaving a bitter taste in her tongue. She can count the amount of times she’s lied before Fort Salem on one hand but it’s slowly starting to become part of the norm for her here.

“There’s really nothing to narrow down. Was she acting strangely or was she not? Did you notice anything wrong with her medically?” Izadora huffs, getting frustrated. The both of them are going in circles.

“Well firstly, Raelle always act strange. It’s like her thing. And second, she has this annoying habit of going around and fixing anyone she can lay her hands on, so there’s always something medically wrong with her from taking on their injuries.” 

“I assure you, this wouldn’t be anything like your typical injuries.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s a need-to-know basis cadet.” Izadora was getting frustrated with the redhead’s persistence. Now she finally understands why General Alder un-Biddied the woman after merely a day with her.

“I think that I have a right to know about whatever it is that might or might not be infecting my unitmate.”

“Don’t you mean ex-unitmate?” Izadora snarls, the truth still unspoken between them. A look of hurt flashed across Tally’s face and she would like to say she was faking it, but she wasn’t. Raelle and Abigail may still be alive and well but Izadora isn’t wrong about them being her ex-unitmates.

They will always be a unit at heart but according to Fort Salem, the two of them are dead and it’s going to be a huge uphill battle before they can go back to what they were before.

If they even can…

“Whatever, I was just trying to help. You can go back to whatever it is you were doing before I so rudely interrupted.” Tally gestures towards whatever it is that Izadora dropped onto the grass to hide from her and storms off, her feet bulldozing everything in her path and Izadora sighs, sending out a short prayer to the wildlife around her.

She turns back around and looks at the ground. There, in between the patch of grass is a yellowish-green object which upon closer inspection appears to be an apple, or what used to be one. Now completely consumed by rot, making it indistinguishable.

She looks up at the tree it fell from and the sight made her shiver. The apple tree that used to be overflowing with the most succulent apples, now almost half of it has succumbed to the rot and the others are showing signs of discoloration. The tree itself is starting to wilt, the branches becoming cracked and dry, its leaves shedding one after another.

Izadora has no idea what is going on but the only thing she knows for certain is that it’s somehow connected to General Alder, the Mycelieum… and Raelle Collar.

* * *

“I’ll get straight to the point.” Petra says, as the two girls are being brought back into the office once again only a few hours later. Petra sits at her desk this time while the two stands, still disregarding the chair.

Scylla stands right in front of the desk while Raelle stands slightly behind, this is something Scylla must face herself and she’s merely here as protection.

“I don’t have the power to grant you immunity but what I can promise you is that once we’ve taken care of the threats against Fort Salem, I will personally make a case with the President about granting you one. That’s all I can offer for now.” Petra looks up at the two carefully, especially Scylla.

Scylla considers Petra’s words carefully. Contemplating whether Petra’s words will hold enough weight against the President of the United States. It’s still a gamble, and Scylla would like something more concrete but she decides this is the best offer she could get. 

“I guess that’ll have to be enough for now. As long as I can guarantee my safety until then.”

“You will not be harmed as long as you cooperate.”

“But make no mistake, you’ll be placed under guard and watched 24/7, every information you give double-checked. And if we find out you lied about something, or you’re planning anything against us in anyway… I promise you the Caribbean prison will be the least of your worries.” Petra promises and Scylla doesn’t doubt it for a second.

“I guess we have a deal then?” Scylla agrees to the terms.

“One more thing.”

“Of course there is.” She sighs and waits for whatever else the Bellweather would want from her.

“You’ll let one of us link with you. Someone that is not Raelle Collar.” Petra says, glancing at the Fixer.

“No way. I’m not letting any of you into my head. Once was enough.” Scylla argues, she’s already allowing them to keep her under constant watch. There’s no way she’s going to let them inside her mind as well.

“This is non-negotiable. Either you let us link or the deal is off.” Petra isn’t backing down in the slightest. 

“Seriously? I will _willingly_ tell you everything you want to know but I draw the line at letting someone else into my deepest thoughts!” Raelle, she could accept. But anyone else, is taking it too far.

She knows after everything she’s done, she’ll be treated with distrust at every turn but there has to be a line. There’s such a thing as privacy.

“Is there no such thing as human decency?”

“We’re not human, we’re witches. And you’re a terrorist. You’re not entitled to any privacy after everything you’ve done.”

“Then I guess we’re at another impasse then.”

  



	11. I Know She's Alive.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know she’s alive.” Raelle reveals and waits for some form of shock from Petra, an outrage, an accusing cry... Anything. Anything that would dismiss Raelle’s suspicions about the Bellweather keeping something like that a secret from the entire witch military.

  
“I know you think I’m being unreasonable Abigail but our family line didn’t last this long by taking chances like that.” Petra explains, chopping the last of the radishes and throwing them in the boiling pot.

Abigail stirs the pot while Petra prepares and puts all the ingredients into the water.

It used to be a tradition for them whenever Petra comes home, the older Bellweather would shoo every one of their workers from the kitchen and cook for her daughter while Abigail helps out. 

Even now, with tension high in the air, the two of them goes through the practiced motions with natural familiarity.

Sure it may seem like Abigail has chosen to side against Scylla on this but that doesn't mean she approves of her mother's demand for Scylla to link with someone.

No matter how much she distrusts the Spree and the logical part of her brain agrees that it is the best way they could make sure of Scylla’s intentions, it raises so many moral questions. 

In her opinion, linking shouldn’t even be allowed to be used on anyone unless it’s a medical emergency. This should be treated the same way they do most of the illegal Work.

To see it used so freely by the military to get what they want from unwilling participants, appalls her.

“She already agreed to be watched 24/7. I just think it’s highly unnecessary.” Abigail pauses her stirring motions, glancing at her mother.

“I mean… we already got what we want. What if she decides not to take the offer now with what we’re demanding of her?” Abigail knows trying to argue about morality would be useless against her mother so she tries to appeal to her with logic.

Tsking, Petra shakes her head and turns towards Abigail with a look she's unfortunately too familiar with. 

“I’m sure you’re going to become an amazing General one day Abigail, but you still have much to learn.” 

_Leave the wartime negotiations to the grownups._ Was what Petra actually meant. 

And Abigail’s jaw tightens, along with her grip on the ladle.

“Stop trying to patronize me mom. I’m not some naive little girl that can’t separate her feelings from duty.”

Abigail taps the ladle against the pot, getting rid of the excess soup before dropping it into the sink with a loud thump.

“If anything, maybe you’re the one that needs to unlearn.” 

* * *

  
“You know you’re allowed to tell me what to do.” Laying on the bed, Scylla looks up from the book she’s been sketching aimless doodles on and turns towards her girlfriend.

Said girlfriend sits facing the window, carving something using supplies she received from Abigail. Raelle only says it's a surprise and no matter how much Scylla tries, she can’t make heads or tails what it is Raelle has been trying to create.

But knowing the blonde Fixer, she knows it’s something beautiful.

Raelle has not said anything to Scylla concerning the major decision she has to make. It’s the last of the three days time limit and tonight is the night Scylla has to tell Petra her decision. 

The last day for Scylla to decide whether she would let someone link with her or get sent to prison.

It may seem like a pretty easy choice considering being sent to the prison would mean certain death. But, is a life of being under constant surveillance, among people that would always look at her distrust, one that she would want? 

Before Raelle, Scylla would say that it’s a definite no. 

But now the main question is whether she’s willing to sacrifice her free will and her privacy for a life with Raelle.

Raelle pauses her ministrations and glances at Scylla.

“I know.” She says simply, not bothering to follow that with an explanation.

Scylla knows why Raelle didn’t want to chime in with her opinions, she wanted Scylla to make the decision of her own accord.

Even after finding out about her being Spree, Raelle has never once tried to change her. She just accepted the fact that no matter how much she tried, Scylla would always be affiliated with the terrorist organization one way or another. 

Raelle has never once asked Scylla to leave the Spree, never once tried to get her to join the military.

Raelle values Scylla's own decisions too much to ever try and convince her to take Petra's deal, and Scylla loves that about her.

But right now, faced with such a difficult dilemma, Scylla wishes Raelle would.

That would definitely make things so much easier for her.

A knock sounds on the door then opens. The two didn’t look up from the respective positions already knowing it’s Abigail with their lunch. Scylla hasn’t been allowed to leave her room once and so Raelle hasn’t either. They’ve been stuck in the room for the last two days and Abigail only comes to bring them food. 

She keeps asking for Raelle to go out and get some fresh air, but Raelle wouldn’t relent. Scylla suspects part of it is because Raelle feels guilty about her being in this predicament.

Abigail places the tray on the table and looks around the place with a frown on her face. It looks like a hurricane went through the room. They’ve certainly made no effort of trying to make themselves presentable.

“The two of you need some air.” Abigail points, scrunching her nose in disgust. Raelle tilts her head to look at the Bellweather with one brow raised.

The two of them have each chosen their sides but that doesn’t mean they’re at odds with each other. Before the desert, Abigail would take this as a personal offense that Raelle would choose the Spree over her. But after they’ve linked with each other they way they did, it’s hard for the Bellweather not to understand every decision Raelle makes.

“Come on, I’ll take Ramshorn for a walk.” Abigail announces earning questioning looks from the two.

Scylla frowns, looking at Abigail carefully. Trying to find any form of deceit.

Surprisingly, Scylla decides she _does_ trust Abigail and she turns to send Raelle a reassuring nod. Then gets up to follow.

* * *

Raelle also leaves the room for the first time after hearing the two head towards the beach. Going into living room, she finds Petra reading a book. The woman glances up, hearing Raelle enter but turns back towards her book again, paying the girl no mind.

Raelle comes to a stop right in front of the Bellweather and clears her throat, drawing her attention.

“If you’re here to get me to change my mind about Scylla Ramshorn-”

“I’m not.” Raelle shakes her head, she knows there’s no use getting the woman to change her mind. Instead she’s here about something else. Something that's been on her mind ever since the news about her mother has sunk in and she's had time to actually think everything through.

“I’m here about my mo-Willa Collar.” Petra raises her brows at Raelle’s wording.

“I’ve told you all I know, she was an amazing Fixer.” Petra replies simply.

“I know she’s alive.” Raelle reveals and waits for some form of shock from Petra, an outrage, an accusing cry... Anything. Anything that would dismiss Raelle’s suspicions about the Bellweather keeping something like that a secret from the entire witch military.

Petra only sighs. The news not coming as a shock just as Raelle suspected. There was no way Petra wouldn’t have known that the body they found wasn’t Willa’s. She’s her CO after-all. And a damn good one from what she's heard.

Closing her book, Petra faces Raelle completely. Her face not betraying any emotions.

“It was you wasn’t it? You helped her disappear.” Raelle accuses which Petra neither confirms nor denies. The woman just looks at Raelle with a look of… pity? 

“I want to know why.” Raelle presses, getting angrier by the minute. Another person keeping things from her, she's getting really tired of it.

“Take a seat.” Petra gestures at the chair near near her. Raelle does as the woman says.

“I’m guessing you found out through Scylla Ramshorn?” 

Raelle nods.

“I assure you, I did not know she would join the Spree when I helped fake her death. I obviously wouldn’t have if I did.”

“Then why did you?”

“To put it simply, it was pity.” Petra sighs.

“I was a part of the people that was involved with punishing her for marrying a human. But I’ll be the first to admit, it was wrong. Especially for a Fixer." Petra shakes her head, regret and shame marring her face.

"To keep her deployed constantly? Before long she was just a shell of the woman she was. I caught her plotting to fake her death and instead of turning her in, I helped her. That night was the last I ever heard from her until I received intelligence of her becoming the leader of a Spree cell a year later.”

“Does Alder know?”

“I would have to tell the General how she survived in the first place, so no.” Raelle scoffs. Looks like they’re not the only one with secrets.

“Raelle, I’m not going to tell you whether or not you should try to reconnect with your mother. But we have credible intelligence that Willa Collar is part of the reason the Spree have been escalating their attacks as of late. I have no idea why but I do know more people have been dying because of the Spree and she’s at the forefront of it.”

“I know.”

* * *

“You know I could just knock you out right now and make a run for it?” Scylla asks, trying to break the ice. They’ve been walking aimlessly along the beach for about 15 minutes now in tense silence and the awkwardness is killing her. This wasn’t the same as with Raelle. With Raelle, even the silent moments are meaningful. 

“I’d like to see you try.” Abigail shoots back, not unkind.

“Just say it.” Scylla blurts, now being able to take it any longer.

“Say what?”

“Whatever it is you brought me out here for.”

“I can’t just be doing something out of the kindness of my own heart?” Abigail asks and Scylla scoffs.

“I somehow doubt that. If you’re here to convince me to take the deal-”

“-I’m not.” Abigail interrupts but doesn’t say more. She kept walking, her eyes staring at the horizon but not really seeing anything.

“I don’t agree with her decision in this.” Abigail speaks after a while.

“Okay..?” Scylla says, not knowing where Abigail is going with this.

“I just… You were right.” Abigail admits hesitantly and Scylla barely managed to hold herself from teasing the Bellweather about her admitting that someone other than her was right for a change.

“...About there being lines that we shouldn’t cross.” Abigail continues ignoring the amusing smirk on Scylla's face.

“Thank you.” Scylla accepts without any form of snark or witty retort this time. It seems Raelle was right about the Bellweather's growth.

She waited for Abigail to continue but the woman seemed to be done.

“Wait, that’s it?” Scylla asks after a few moments of tense silence. 

“You seriously brought me out here just to tell me that?” Scylla laughs but the glare Abigail shoots has her wiping that grin off her face. 

To be honest, Abigail doesn’t know exactly why she brought Scylla out here. Maybe she truly wanted to do something nice for the girl after everything her mother’s demanding of her?

No, that can’t be right. Abigail grimaces.

She can’t be feeling sorry for a Spree. 

A killer.

A liar.

A witch.

A woman willing to sacrifice everything for what she believes in.

A woman in love. 

  
“So…” Scylla glances up at the Bellweather after a while. The woman stares at the ground a few feet ahead of her with her face scrunched in concentration, deep in thought.

“Nice weather we’re having.”

* * *

  
“Again!” Anacostia's shout echoes throughout the empty arena.

Tally pants, crouching against her leg, her breaths coming out in gasps. She could feel her whole body shaking with the effort and the room felt like it was closing in on her.

This was so not her day.

“I need a break.” Tally plops down on the floor of the gym.

“What’s going on Craven? You can usually do this without breaking a sweat.” Anacostia questions, looking down at the woman who looks like she’s about to pass out.

“I know.”

“Here.” Anacostia passes a water bottle to Tally who grabs it and guzzles it down greedily.

“I think that’s enough for today.” Anacostia frowns, her protégé looks minutes away from passing out.

“No… I just need a moment.” Tally barely manages to make out between breaths yet she's clumsily pushing herself off of the floor.

“What you need is to take the day off Craven. You haven’t had a break since before China.”

“What I need is to get better!” Tally shouts and shakily pulls herself up, half looking like she’s about to keel over just from the effort. Sweat pools down her face, droplets hitting the floor where she stood. Her whole body quivering noticeably, no matter how much she tries to steady herself.

“You’re no use overexerting yourself Craven.” Anacostia tries, she knows why the redhead is pushing herself, it’s a coping mechanism Anacostia herself is all too familiar with.

She’s going to burnout if she continues.

“I just-” Tally shakes her head, disappointed at herself. “I just want to feel useful.”

That feeling of helplessness that she felt, seeing her sisters die right in front of her was something she swore she would never go through again.

Her Seer abilities didn’t feel as useful as Raelle’s Fixing or Abigail’s Blasting. Sure she can see inside armored trucks, feel what others are feeling but what’s the use if she can see everything but can’t do a thing to help them.

“You _are_ useful Craven. Don’t ever doubt it.” 

“But you won’t be if you’re stuck in the infirmary from overexerting yourself before the time comes.”

“Take the day off. That’s an order.”

* * *

  
“The Camarilla are back.” Alder announces in Mothertongue, earning gasps from the members of the Hague.

“How is that possible?” The leader from the Russian cell cries in outrage.

“That’s a lie. The Camarilla have been extinct for a long time. You made sure of it.” General Sharma accuses from across the table.

“I assure you it is not. I have fought them myself not long ago at a mission in China, I have watched helpless with my own eyes as they burned my soldiers right in front of me. The Camarilla are back and they have figured out how to level the playing field by creating their own version of our songs using OUR voice boxes!” Sarah Alder's voice booming throughout the entire hall as she addresses each and every leader in the room, switching her eye contact from one person to another until she comes towards General Sharma.

"It was only by the brave sacrifice by two of my soldiers that we even managed to make it out of there alive. Make no mistake, they are ruthless and they will stop at nothing until all the witches are eradicated off of this planet." She speaks, staring at the General and feeling a sense of relief when the woman breaks their eye contact and flits her eyes downwards at the mention of the Bellweather unit's sacrifice.

Knowing General Sharma's past, Alder knows this would deeply impact the General.

“If what you say is true, then how do we stop them?" The leader from Japan asks.

“Humans with just their pitchforks and knives are already a threat to us. If they figured out how to reproduce our songs, then I fear this could be the end for us.” Another chimed in, finally taking this threat seriously.

The atmosphere in the room turning somber as the realization sunk in of the danger they're in.

“By remaining united! We have been at odds for so long it’s finally time for us witches to stand together and show them what we’re capable of.”

“You mean under your rule.” General Sharma scoffs but doesn't outright challenge her.

“To an extent. I’ve defeated them once before, I’m merely imploring you to trust me when I say I can and will do it again with the help of your forces. Let me lead them, and lead them to victory.”

* * *

  
Scylla and Abigail heads back towards the house after a while, the walk was awkward at first but they soon fell into a comfortable silence. After they both realized they have said all that needed to be said and there was no pressure to try and make conversation, and all Scylla had left to do was enjoy the few moments of freedom she was allowed.

A loud bang was heard from inside the house as the two started making their way up the steps towards the house.

Shooting each other worried looks, they both sprinted up the stone walkway and rushed into the house without a second thought.

They find Petra singing a seed aimed at the main entrance to bar it shut while Raelle runs around the place making sure the windows were all locked and reinforced.

“What’s going on!?” Abigail shouted, alerting the two.

“Did you lock the backdoor?” Petra asks and at that, Scylla rushes back towards the door, swinging it shut and bolts all the locks.

“Mom what is it?” Abigail asks again after Petra was done with her song.

“It’s the Spree. They’re here.” Petra says, turning to look at Scylla who has just rejoined them.

Scylla freezes in her step, looking around the three woman who all turned towards her at that information. 

Petra shooting her accusatory looks.

Abigail, in confusion. 

And Raelle, Raelle just looks outright angry and ready for war. 

Scylla glups.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this update took so long ya'll. I've just been tackling two jobs right now and by the time I get some free time, my brain is too mush for me to do anything creative.
> 
> This chapter is shorter than I'd like but I really wanted to put something out for you guys and to let you guys know that no, I haven't abandoned this story but I will have to take longer between updates.
> 
> I'm so sorry guys. And if you're still here, thanks for sticking around. Truly from the bottom of my heart.


	12. You're My Last Thought As I Was Dying.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re my last thought as I was dying, and my first thought after coming back to life.” Raelle admits so plainly and so easily, that Scylla was at a loss for words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quickly just wanted to say thank you guys so much for your patience and your support. I'm still trying to find a balance between my jobs and my writing so this update took longer than I expected but I hope the length makes up for it.
> 
> Enjoy guys!

“It’s the Spree. They’re here.” Petra informs Abigail who had only just returned from her walk with Scylla. It was a little while after Raelle’s talk with Petra and Raelle was sitting in the living room, working on her surprise for Scylla when Petra ran out in alarm at hearing some sort of signal only Petra could hear.

She had set silent perimeter alarms around the compound and it appears someone had tripped them.

“Are you sure?” Scylla asks the older Bellweather.

“I don’t know Scylla, you tell me.” Petra spat, accusation evident in her tone.

“I had nothing to do with this.” Scylla defended herself, exasperated. She’s getting really fed up of these accusations and the distrust. What more does she have to do until they stop accusing her of being behind literally anything that goes wrong around here?

A thought popped into her head and in a flash of panic, her head snapped towards Raelle. The fear that consumed her chilled her to the bone more than any Spree or Camarilla attack. More than any recapture by the Military.

If Raelle looks at her in that same accusatory look she’s receiving from Petra, she knows it would break her.

Raelle has her scourge at the ready positioned facing the main entrance, her body taut and at high alert, ready to attack anyone that walks through it.

Feeling Scylla’s eyes, Raelle turns towards the girl she loves.

She instantly recognizes the fear in Scylla’s eyes.

It’s the same kind of fear she saw in the woman’s face right after she woke up in the dungeon and pleaded with her not to believe anything they tell about her.

The same kind of fear she saw the whole time they had their talk on the beach and Scylla was afraid that any revelation would make Raelle look at Scylla the same way that everyone else does.

Raelle held Scylla’s stare and reassured her with a simple nod that said everything it needed to say.

  
_I trust you Scyl. I’m with you._

  
The way Scylla’s expression changed to that of relief, Raelle swore to herself that she would never let her love doubt her ever again.

With everything that’s happened, it’s going to take some time before all the worries and doubt goes away between them but Raelle’s going to keep proving time and time again until Scylla could whole heartedly believe that no matter what happens… she’s in this.

Raelle’s not going to leave her the way she did back at the dungeon ever again.

It’s the two of them against the world now.

“You really want me to think that it’s a coincidence the one time we’ve had any intruders at this summer house is right after they brought you here?” Petra wouldn’t relent of course.

And she hates to admit it but Petra does have a point. How in the hell did they manage to find this place?

Explosions can be heard outside, whoever they are clearly wants in.

Scylla goes towards the windows and peaked through the blinds, making sure they’re actually the Spree and not the Camarilla. 

Outside she sees five witches, three are standing watch while two kept sending wind strikes against whatever protective barrier Petra had put up to defend them.

She immediately noticed the two that are launching the attack. 

They’re Spree, alright. And worse, they’re from Willa Collar’s cell.

“Scyl?” Raelle looks at her expectantly. 

“It’s the Spree. They’re from my cell.” Scylla admits hesitantly and Raelle’s grip tightens around the rope fully understanding what this means. They’re either here for Raelle or for Scylla and there’s no way she’s letting them have any of them.

“We can take them.” Abigail announces, she was also peeking out through the window adjacent to Scyllas’.

“No.” Petra shakes her head disapprovingly.

“You’re not yet recovered Abigail. Both you and Raelle aren’t at full strength. If they’re normal witches I could take them myself, but they’re Spree. We have no idea what kind of forbidden Work they’re equipped with.” Petra eyes Scylla, daring the woman to disagree on the Spree’s methods.

Scylla couldn’t.

Petra’s right. Even with Scylla’s help, Raelle is still too weak for battle and she knows for sure that Abigail’s worse without anyone around to help her recharge. The Bellweather may pretend otherwise but there’s no way Abigail’s strong enough to even defend herself against fully powered Spree agents using forbidden Work.

“I can handle this. But you’ll need to trust me.” Scylla says, looking at Petra, even though she already knows what Petra’s reply will be.

This is the Spree they’re talking about, and sure Scylla may have been a terrible Spree agent but she knows how to handle her previous employers. If only Petra would get off her high horse and listen to her.

“Not a chance.” Petra scoffs, just as Scylla expected.  
This time a huge explosion hit the door, the entire house rumbling with its aftershock. It seems they’re upgrading from windstrikes to more non-canon stuff.

“What’s your plan, necro?” Against everything inside her very being warning her against it, Abigail turns towards Scylla. There was no way they’re going to be able to fight their way out of this one. And if Scylla has a plan, it doesn’t hurt hearing her out.

“We surrender.” Scylla replies and okay, well maybe Abigail spoke a bit too soon.

“You can’t be serious.” Petra bristled and Abigail already knows what Petra’s thinking. That Scylla is finally showing her endgame and getting them to surrender to the Spree.

But glancing at Raelle, who is still looking at Scylla with no trace of doubt, Abigail decides that if she never trusts anything else concerning the necro, she can at least trust that Scylla would never do anything to put Raelle in harms way.

“Elaborate.” She orders the necro, ignoring her mother’s protests.

“Whether you believe me or not, I had nothing to do with the Spree finding out about this place. So there’s only one other explanation I can think of.” Scylla turns towards Raelle.

“They’re here for me.” Raelle confirms.

“You’re powerful Raelle, and the Spree wants that power on their side. And they know the only way they’ll achieve that is if you come willingly.”

“That’s why they sent me to seduce you-” Scylla paused, the admission leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. "-instead of just kidnapping you in the middle of the night.”

“I’m guessing the only reason they started attacking the house is because you put up the barriers at the first sign of them?” Scylla asks Petra with a knowing look.

“As we should.” Petra defended.

“So what I’m proposing is that we let down the barriers, listen to what they have to say and give them your terms.” She speaks carefully, gauging everyone’s expressions at her words. 

Abigail looks thoughtful, scrutinizing Scylla carefully as if she’s looking for any tells that Scylla could be lying. Petra in clear dismissal. And Raelle, whose expression showing only clear support and trust at Scylla’s words.

“The second we let those barriers down, they’ll kill us.” Petra shouts through the gradually increasing sounds of the Spree’s advances.

“The Spree don’t kill witches.” Scylla defended her former organization. “All they want is liberation. And sure, we’ve gone about it in many questionable ways, but our main goal is towards the survival of our species.” Scylla cringes at the usage of the word “we” when talking about the terrorist organization.

That line of where she stands between the Spree and the Military is something she’s going to have to figure out eventually.

If she even can. 

“That still doesn’t mean we should just put down our defenses. For all we know, they’re here to rescue her!” Petra points her accusing finger at Scylla, slowly getting more and more agitated that she appears to be the only one seeing how dangerous listening to the Spree double agent is.

Abigail looks through Scylla, scrutinizing the ex-Spree for any signs of deceit. Her mother isn’t wrong in assuming the worst of the necro with what little interaction the General has had with her. Let’s face it, Scylla isn’t exactly the poster child for goodness or humility. 

But what Petra doesn’t know is the Scylla that Abigail has seen inside Raelle’s memories. That Scylla, Abigail decides, she could side against.

“Okay, necro. You win. We’ll do this your way. But mark my words-”

“Yeah yeah, I already know. Try anything and you’ll blast me to oblivion.” Scylla finishes for the younger Bellweather.

“Glad we’re on the same page then.” Abigail gave a satisfied nod.

“Abigail I don’t need to remind you that you’re not in charge here.” Petra interrupts and Raelle decides, this is the last time. She’s done with Petra always trying to undermine Abigail’s leadership.

“And neither are you, General.” Raelle approaches the General, standing up in front of her and staring up at the woman. She continues.

“Because if I’m not wrong, Abigail and I are considered K.I.A. So this means you’re not our superior anymore.”

“And I know this also means Abigail isn’t my leader anymore. But I still choose to follow her lead. Abigail is already a much better leader than you’ll ever be.“ Raelle tilts her head towards Abigail, the aforementioned Bellweather is looking at her with clear surprise written on her face.

“I would follow her anywhere without question.” Raelle admits, still looking at Abigail. Abigail sends her a grateful nod in reply. Warmth blosomming in Abigail's chest at hearing such unconditional support from her sister.

Petra looks taken-aback at Raelle’s confession. A cacophony of emotions fluttering through her face as she turns towards her daughter. 

This wasn’t the same woman that spoke the words on Conscription Day. This woman has gone through what most veterans hasn’t, and only came out with more grace and strength and still so much love for the people around her. This woman has managed to gain the trust of-in her own words-"A Chipawa Cession Brat”, an equally head-strong woman who anyone would have trouble reigning in.

That alone is a major accomplishment.

And her eyes softens as she finally sees the girl-no woman standing before her. 

THE Abigail Bellweather.

Slowly, Petra nods at her daughter. 

Her acceptance and surrender of authority.

Abigail does the same.

“Necro you with me?” Abigail asks the remaining member, who thankfully didn’t decide to chime in with her snark.

“What? Am I part of the Illustrious Bellweather unit now?” Yeah, there's that snark.

“Don’t push it. I just need to know I don’t have to worry about you going off half cocked at them unless I say so.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll play nice.” Scylla promises, putting her hands up in a form of mock surrender and Abigail decides that’s the best she’s going to get with the woman for now. She nods at her mother, gesturing her to take down their defenses and looks at Raelle.

“You ready?”

The doors to the mansion opens and Abigial was the first to step out, her unit following close behind while Petra brings up the rear.

The Spree stops their advances.

“Finally! What took you so long?” A blonde woman who appears to be the one leading the crew shouts out. She walks towards the gate with a certain sort of swagger, and looks up at the Bellweather unit slowly approaching them down the stairs.

“Why are you here?” Raelle asks once they’re at the gate, the Bellweather unit on one side with the Spree woman on the other. The other Spree agents stand slightly behind the woman, forming a sort of barrier behind her.

“I know you…” The blonde notices Scylla standing right beside Raelle and scrutinizes her carefully.

“Scylla Ramshorn… Well this is a surprise! You’re famous, do you know that?" The woman chuckles and Scylla already knows she doesn’t mean it in a good way.

”I mean, to constantly fail at being a Spree and shack up with your mark? And now what? You’re the military’s little Spree pet now?” The blonde spat those words without restraint and it was only Raelle holding Scylla back that she didn’t charge at the woman. It’s true what they say, truth hurts.

“Shut up.” Scylla tries to sound threatening but only coming out as a weak retort.

“You still haven’t answered her question.” Abigail interrupts.

“Right, of course.” The woman says as if she’s only now remembering the reason she’s here.

“Well, my name is Devon and we are the Spree.” The woman gestures towards herself and her people in a form of flourish and curtsies mockingly.

“Yeah, we got that.” Abigail scoffs at her antics.

“And we’re here for you Raelle Collar.” The womans straightens and turns towards Raelle. Raelle’s grip on Scylla’s hand tightens.

"After Scylla over here’s many failed attempts to bring you to us, our leader has sent me to formally extend you an invitation to meet with her in person.” Devon brings out a piece of paper in her hand and holds it out for Raelle.

Raelle stares at it wide eyed, knowing fully well she’s already familiar with the hand-writing from the many letters she has up on her bedside.

Hesitantly, she takes it. Her hands shaking slightly as she grips the paper tight.

“Come alone.” She says as Raelle stares at the unopened piece of paper in her hand, not wanting to see the final confirmation that it truly is her mother leading the Spree.

“And now you…” Devon turns back towards Scylla, an evil glint in her eyes as smiles a satisfied smile.

“I’m sure Mrs. W would very much like to talk to you about the repercussions of selling yourself to the enemy… No matter how sexy-” Devon smirks, appraising Raelle up and down “-the price is.” 

Scylla couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of facing Willa Collar after her betrayal. She knows what the Spree handler would do to someone like her would be much worse than what happened to Meg. Willa would not give her the relief of death as easy as she did with Meg, that’s for sure.

“She’s with us now.” Raelle speaks up, pulling her girl closer towards her. “Try anything against her and I promise you you’ll regret it.”

“Awwn, how sweet.” Devon tsks mockingly. “But it doesn’t work that way sweetie, Ms Ramshorn over there, is, and will always be Spree. No matter who she lets in her bed.” 

“But I’ll let you have your moment for now. I’m sure Mrs. W would want to deal with you personally.”

"Be seeing you sweetcheeks." With a final threat she turns and stalks off, her people following behind not missing a single beat. Almost as if it was choreographed.

* * *

It’s after midnight and Tally is creeping along the dark corridor in the necro facility. The only time she's been here was when she helped Raelle break Scylla out, and that was before she got Biddiefied then un-Biddiefied, so her memory of this place is hazy at best, especially at this time of night. 

She has no idea where she’s going but Raelle did the same before, and ended up at the Mycelieum wall so she’s hoping the same happens to her.

It’s after lights out so at least she doesn’t have to worry about any other people roaming around the place and accidentally bumping into them. That’s what she hopes at least. You never know with these necros. 

Maybe it’s the opposite for them and midnight’s the time they all band together and perform some sort of weird ritual around a corpse.

Oh god, she hopes she doesn’t accidentally end up in the morgue which she knows for sure is somewhere in here. 

If there was any other way, she wouldn’t be here at this time but she couldn’t find any information about the Mycelieum in the library or in the Fort Salem historical records, courtesy of Anacostia. So her only option was to come straight to the source, hence why she finds herself in the dead of night, sneaking around these damp dark hallways, in the creepiest facility at Fort Salem.

The things she do for her sisters…

Following along the corridor, it seems she’s going deeper and deeper underground. You wouldn’t realize how deep this facility actually goes from the outside but she can just feel the air getting colder and colder as she trudges on.

It’s probably also how they managed to keep Scylla locked up in here with no one knowing.

Descending another set of stairs was when she felt it. The atmosphere at this level is different than anything she’s ever felt before. The air felt… alive, somehow. 

Tally takes a few steps forwards. Every move she makes sends a shock wave of disturbance into the surroundings.

She knows the Mycelieum is close. She could feel it’s energy thrumming around her, like it’s trying to call out to her, communicate with her. 

Cautiously, she follows the energy back to its source, and sure enough, she reaches the Mycelieum.

Entering the room, it was almost exactly like how Raelle discribed it. “Almost” being the keyword. 

Because even from a distance, she could see the black tendrils creeping along the edges of the wall which isn't in any of Raelle's descriptions of the mushroom wall. It appears to be trying to consume the Mycelieum but the Mycelieum is fighting it off somehow. It’s agony at trying to keep the black intruder at bay coming at Tally in waves.

Tally doubled over, gasping, as a massive pulse of energy hit her. It almost felt like the Mycelieum is crying out for help. 

Tally ran towards the Mycelieum, not knowing what to do but wanting, no, needing to help anyways. 

But before she could reach the wall, she felt arms grabbing her from behind, pulling her backwards. Tally tries fighting off the intruder, she has no idea who it is and she doesn’t care. All she cared about was that the Mycelieum needs her help. And nothing is going to get in her way.

She struggled in the person’s grip but the person was too strong. They started singing a soothing Seed in Tally’s ears, it’s effects slowing showing to Tally as she started becoming drowsy and her eyelids becoming heavy.

Soon enough, she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer and her struggles stopped as she fell asleep in her captor’s arms.

* * *

"If they think I’m letting you go off to meet with the Spree alone, they have another thing coming.” Abigail says looking at the address written on the paper they received from Devon. It’s at a city halfway from the mansion and the Spree safe-house.

“Yeah I’m not going.” Raelle shrugs, plopping herself backwards along the couch. Scylla raises Raelle’s legs and sits down under it, placing them back on her lap.

“Rae, maybe take some time to think it through?” _She’s still your mother._ Scylla wants to say out loud but decided not to, knowing it’s still a sore topic for the girl and Petra Bellweather’s sitting right in front of them. 

Scylla still has no idea about Petra’s involvement in Willa’s survival.

“No Scyl. The woman abandoned me, pretended she was dead for years. If she wants to see me, she’ll have to come find me herself.” Raelle says aloud and both Scylla and Abigail’s heads snapped towards Petra in alarm. 

“Raelle.” Abigail warns, eyes glancing between Raelle and her mother.

“It’s okay. I already know.” Petra nods at Abigial.

“Oh it’s more than that, isn’t it General?” Raelle spat at the Bellweather, still bitter about the fact that Petra Bellweather has known her mother was alive for years but kept spitting lies to her when she would confront her back at Fort Salem.

Petra sighs, not being able to look at her daughter in the eyes. After everything she’s preached about upholding the laws, here she is about to tell Abigail that she basically helped create a future Spree leader.

But she didn’t have to say anything, both Abigail and Scylla connected the dots instantly.

“You helped fake her death didn’t you mom?” Abigail asks, wide-eyed at her mother. 

Petra nods, shame written clear as day on her face.

“Abigail I-” Petra starts but Abigail shakes her head. “No mom, I get it.” Abigail says looking at Petra and this could actually be the first time Abigail has looked at her with pride. 

Yes, what she did clearly put Willa on the path that she is on now, with thousands of deaths on her hands. But at that time, Petra was only doing what she thought was right. 

After everything Abigail has been trying to tell her mom about fighting for what’s right, what Petra did, helping a fellow soldier fake her death to avoid the hell that the military has been putting her and her family through, was exactly what Abigail’s been trying to preach to her mother all this time.

“So, does this mean I’m off the hook with the whole “Linking or Caribbean vacation” thing?” Scylla chimed in, trying to make it come off lighthearted but her eyes says the opposite.

No matter how much she loves Raelle, she simply can’t agree with anyone else from the military having free rein with her mind like that. If they asked her to choose right now, she knows it’s going to get ugly.

Petra looks at Scylla scrutinizingly, Scylla could feel Raelle’s legs tensing up in her lap. Ready to fight to defend her girl if she needs to.

“I think… I’ll leave that up to Abigail.” Petra replies carefully, looking towards her daughter.

“Mom?” Abigail looks at Petra, confused.

“If I’ve seen anything in the past few days, it’s that you’ve proved yourself to be a capable leader. I couldn’t be more proud of the woman you are.” Petra placed her hand on Abigail’s, looking at her daughter in way that Abigail has only ever dreamed of.

“This is your fight.” Petra looks between the three girls. “All of you.”

“Alder’s asked us all to come back. I’ll be at Fort Salem with Anacostia, supporting you in any way we can. But what happens next is on you guys.” Petra informs them.

“Lead them well Abigail.” Petra gets up, places a kiss on Abigail’s forehead and leaves the room, leaving the three girls looking at each other in confusion.

  
“Why do feel like I’m the ball that keeps getting passed around in a game of dodge-ball?”

* * *

Izadora carries Tally’s passed out body up the stairs and away from the Mycelieum. She has no idea what Tally Craven is doing there but the last time someone else from her unit found the wall, it ended up with the Mycelieum getting infected, endangering the entire ecosystem around Fort Salem.

And that's only one of the side-effects she knows of. Goddess knows what else is also effected because of what's happening with the Mycelieum.

She plops Tally Craven’s body down in the chair in her office, and sings another Seed to wake the girl up. Tally wakes up instantly.

“Wha-what?” Tally shoots up, groggily looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings in panic. She finally brings her eyes to settle on Izadora, and her expression morphs to that of fear.

“What happened?” Tally asks.

“You were heading for the Mycelieum, I stopped you.” Izadora brings her arms to her chest, staring the woman down.

“I think the real question is, what is a Seer doing in a necro facility late at night without anyone’s permission.”

Tally gulps wide-eyed, looking at the Sergeant at a loss for words.

  
“I… got lost??”

* * *

After Petra Bellweather left for Fort Salem, Abigail decides that they’ve had enough excitement for the day. So after quite a few lectures to Scylla about staying out of trouble, she dismisses the couple while she heads for the bar, pouring herself a drink, or several.

Raelle and Scylla decided to take a walk on the beach. After being cooped up in the room for the past few days, they weren’t planning on returning to it any sooner than they have to.

They walk along the shore, their feet dipped into the warm ocean water, counteracting the cold breeze setting in after the sun goes down.

Raelle puts her arm around Scylla’s shoulder, the necro leaning into the Fixer slightly, soaking in the blonde’s warmth as they take slow steps trudging through the shallow water.

“I know this isn’t Labor-In-Pain, but maybe once this is over, you could take me to the safest place you’ve ever been.” Raelle says, pulling the girl closer towards her body. Her hand rubbing along Scylla’s arm, trying to rub the coldness away from the girl.

“We’ll live on the beach?” Scylla tilts her head up towards Raelle, a crooked grin on her face.

“We’ll live on the beach.” Raelle agrees, the couple pausing in their steps as Raelle places a kiss on Scylla’s lips in promise.

They break apart and continues their aimless walk along the beach, talking about everything and nothing at all.

“You okay Scyl?” Raelle asks after a while. She can see that there’s something on the necro’s mind ever since their encounter with the Spree.

Scylla sighs. Wanting to tell Raelle that she's okay, but she couldn’t bring herself to lie to Raelle again.

“Talk to me Scyl.” Raelle nudges her girlfriend softly. She doesn’t want to push but she also wants Scylla to know that she can talk to her about anything. Scylla’s probably never had someone she could just confide in completely, what with being a double agent and all, and before that a dodger. Raelle wants to be that person for her.

“She’s right you know?” Scylla breaks the silence after a while. Raelle tilts her head to look at her but Scylla kept her gaze straight ahead.

“No matter what I do, I will always be Spree.” Scylla states, her tone somber. Like she’s just stating a fact that she’s already accepted.

“I know.” Raelle says simply.

“And you’re okay with that?” Scylla stops in her step and finally turns towards Raelle, it’s clear that wasn’t the reply she expected.

“I told you. I’m with you always.” Raelle shrugs casually.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Scylla presses.

“Because my answer doesn’t matter, what matters is whether **_you’re_** okay with it.” Scylla’s face falters at that, that one moment told Raelle everything she needed to know.

“That’s what you’re struggling with, isn’t it? I know you still agree with the Spree… And it terrifies you.” Scylla’s silence was louder than any type of confirmation she could’ve uttered.

“And that’s okay Scyl.” Raelle fully turns towards Scylla so that they’re face-to-face.

“How is that okay?”

"I know you’ve proven time and time again that you’re with me always. But still, you deserve so much better Rae-” Scylla starts but Raelle wouldn’t let Scylla finish that dreadful sentence.

“-Don’t even Scyl. I want you and that’s that.” Her voice raising slightly for the first time.

“How are you just so willing to accept anything? Back at the dungeon you were all but ready to leave me to die after finding out about my being Spree.“

“I died Scyl.” Raelle whispers, her head hanging, staring down at the ground between where they stood. Her tone somber, remembering that dreadful moment in her life. No matter how hard she tries, she doesn’t think she will ever forget it. 

The coldness. The emptiness as she finally lets go. The finality of it all…

“And you know what my last thought was?” Raelle looks back up towards Scylla. Scylla’s siren eyes boring into her expectantly.

“It was you.” Raelle admits and Scylla couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips.

"Not my dad, not my unit, not even my mom.” Raelle shakes her head.

“It was you.” Raelle reaches for Scylla’s hands, her callused palm gripping Scylla’s soft ones, holding it between them like a lifeline.

The contrast of how rough Raelle’s palms are with how gently she’s holding Scylla’s hands between them, is something Scylla could never fully understand.

Just like all the other contradictions of Raelle’s that she’s hopelessly in love with.

The rebel with a big heart… 

The Fixer with a death wish... 

The woman that pretends not to care about anything, yet constantly sacrificing herself for everyone else.

“You’re all I want.”

”It doesn’t matter what you are. If you’re in the Caribbean prison, or in Alder’s dungeon or even if you’re back with the Spree. I will always only want you.”

“You’re my last thought as I was dying and my first thought after coming back to life.”

“Even back when we thought you had massacred thousands of people, I didn’t care. None of that mattered.” Raelle scoffed at herself on how pathetic that sounds.

“As I was lying there with Abigail, waiting for death to take us… All that mattered to me was that I was going where you can’t follow. That I was leaving you alone on this earth to fend for yourself while I just went and died for a cause that I didn’t even believe in… That I couldn’t keep my promise to come back to you.“ 

Raelle’s right hand reaches up to cup Scylla’s cheeks, the necro instinctively leans into her touch.

“I just want you Scyl. All of you. All the good and the bad… I know what being with you means, we’re constantly going to have to fight to defend our relationship against everyone else. But I would go through everything and more just to have one more day with you.” Raelle speaks so earnestly that Scylla couldn’t help the tears flowing down her cheeks.

Add that to the list of Raelle Collar’s contradictions…

The stoic partner that could make someone cry with their vulnerability.

”I know how that sounds... But that’s my absolute truth.” Her eyes boring straight into Scylla’s soul, branding those words deep inside. Almost daring Scylla to contradict her claim. 

“No matter what decisions you make, what side you choose. As long as you promise to keep fighting for me, for us. I promise to do the same.” Raelle swears. Her eyes glinting with tears as she takes in the woman she loves. The woman who owns her heart and soul. The woman she can’t live without.

“No matter what happens, yeah?” Scylla asks, throat closing up as she struggles to keep herself from bawling her eyes out then and there.

“No matter what happens.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Comments? Opinions?


	13. Take A Trip Down Memory Lane With Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Take a trip down memory lane with me?” Scylla asks.
> 
> “Always.” Raelle smiles at Scylla. A look of understanding crosses both their faces. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... um, remember me?
> 
> Yeah I have no excuses this time for how long this update took, so I'll just say that I'm truly sorry for disappearing like that.
> 
> And if any of you were worried, I'm definitely not abandoning this story. This is like my little safe space and even if I get distracted with life stuff, I'll keep coming back to this one way or another.
> 
> And before you read guys I do have to warn you that there is a tiny bit of smut ahead, and it's actually my first try at it despite having no experience so feel free to skip over if you don't feel like cringing or not... It's up to you. I've added warnings so you'll know when it's coming.
> 
> So yeah, that's it and hope you guys enjoy it!

“I… got lost?” Pushing up in her seat, Tally uttered out the first thing that came to mind. And judging by the unimpressed expression on the Sergeant, that obviously didn’t work.

“Wanna try that again?” Izadora raised her brows, tapping her foot impatiently as the recently un-Biddied Knower wracks her mind trying to come up with an explanation. 

But really, what else could she say? Izadora caught her red-handed, running straight towards the Mycelieum, which, what was _that_ about? The last thing she remembers, she was entering the room, laying her eyes on the elusive mushroom wall that somehow brought Raelle and Abigail back from the dead. And the next, she was dashing towards it like her life depended on it.

“I just wanted to see the Mycelieum.” Tally sighed, shifting uncomfortably on the couch she woke up in. The Sergeant stood across from her, leaning against a desk with her arms folded, staring down at the Knower.

Technically that was the truth so she’s not even lying straight to her superior’s face in any way… Right? 

“Why?” Isadora questions, piercing through her the way an interrogator would. From what she remembers through Alder’s memories, Izadora is one of the people who were in charge of interrogating Scylla. And even with what little she saw during Alder’s visits, it was enough to make her worried.

It frightened Tally to no end that the Military could just grab someone and hold them like that for weeks with no consequences, and what’s to stop Izadora from doing the same with Tally?

“Because you’ve been asking questions about Raelle’s encounter with it. And that witchbomb that we saw, it’s somehow because of that wall right? Those two are connected.” Shrugging off her fear, she pushes on the arms of the couch and sits up straight, in an effort to muster up some fake bravado. She’s going to need it if she’s going to turn this around and start questioning Izadora.

“Whether they’re connected or not, you know that’s classified information Craven.” Izadora shoots back not revealing a thing; her facade as poised and careful as ever. Tally has to remember, this is the same woman that slit a cadet’s throat during class and kept on teaching like it was nothing. 

“Classified information.” Tally scoffs. She’s getting really tired of hearing those exact same words over and over again this past week. Anytime she tries to get any information on the Mycelieum, all she’s met with is the Military red-tape.

“Raelle and Abigail DIED saving Sarah Alder herself from the Camarilla after being brought along on a mission that we shouldn’t even have been on! We at least owe them to figure out the truth about their death instead of parading it around and using them as martyrs in this fight against the Camarilla!” 

Tally couldn’t stop herself. Alder has crafted this narrative about Raelle and Abigail’s death being due to a Camarilla bomb so that everyone’s focused on one thing and one thing only : to take down the Camarilla by all means necessary. 

After being connected with Alder the way they were, she sort of gets it. With the forces dwindling the way they were, she didn’t want her people divided. The return of the Camarilla terrified Sarah Alder in a way it’s never done before, and she knows Alder will stop at nothing to take them down once and for all. 

Tally doesn’t think Sarah Alder’s as power hungry as everyone’s making her out to be. But when you’re only focused on the big picture. When you’re only focused on “Us versus Them”, without taking into account the amount of individual deaths this war is going to, or have caused… What makes her any different than the Spree? 

“Get back to your dorm Craven.” Tally’s outburst seem to have made a dent in Izadora’s facade, but not in a good way. The Necro teacher is definitely pissed.

Tally bolts up from her seat, fuming. She knows she crossed a line talking back at Izadora like that but she didn’t care, some things are more important than protocol.

“Make no mistake, I’ll be talking to Sergeant Quartermaine about this.”

* * *

_> >>smut <<<_

“Shit!” Raelle gasps out in shock as her back hit the wall, Scylla’s hand in her hair at least cushioning her head. If the brunette’s hand was hurt in the process, she didn’t say a thing. 

That could probably be because at that instant, her mouth was on Raelle’s. Her tongue exploring the blonde Fixer’s mouth with the same forcefulness her finger’s have been working in and out of Raelle.

“Scyl!” Raelle cried out as Scylla curled two fingers inside, hitting her g-spot, her breath getting shorter and shorter as she reaches her peak.

“Goddess!” Raelle screamed out as she came over Scylla’s fingers, still pumping in and out of Raelle’s as the Fixer rides out her orgasm.

“The name’s Scylla actually.” Scylla gives a satisfied smirk seeing Raelle come undone under her hand. She pulls her fingers out of Raelle’s and puts them in her own mouth one after another, pulling them out with a pop. 

Without wasting another second, Raelle reaches forwards and replaces Scylla’s fingers with her tongue. Her arms grabbing the necro’s and flips their position, trapping her against the wall.

Without separating their mouths, her hands start working on taking the burnette’s pants off. With no belt buckles on this time, she made quick work of pulling them off, and drops to her knees.

Raelle started kissing and nibbling at Scylla’s thighs, worshiping her Goddess the only way she knows how. Scylla presses against the wall, her hands flat against it as Raelle kiss and sucked, her tongue drawing agonizing circles around the necro’s clit.

Scylla gasped, as Raelle finally entered. The Fixer’s tongue cold against her throbbing core.

“Fuck!” Scylla lets out a moan, as Raelle explored the necro, flicking her tongue until- 

“Team Meeting!” Abigail shouts, banging on the couple’s door.

“Ignore her.” Raelle pants, removing her tongue from inside the necro’s for a second before diving back in.

“Right now Shitbird! Or I’m coming in!” The Bellweather kept on banging.

“Rae.“ Scylla moans. Her hands lowered towards Raelle’s head, and reluctantly pushes the blonde’s head away from her needy, aching center.

“Stop.” Hearing those words, Raelle stops instantly looks up at Scylla from her position.

_> >>smut <<<_

“We should go before she brings the door down.” Scylla sighs, banging her head back against the wall in disappointment. She knows there’s no way Abigail’s going to let her finish and it’s just going to be awkward if the Bellweather does decide to tear the door down.

“But you didn’t-” Raelle sits back on her knees, both mirroring each other’s expressions. 

“To be continued.” Scylla promised and it delighted her to know that even though she’s the one getting clam jammed, Raelle’s the one more annoyed about it than her.

The couple cleans themselves up and joins Abigail in the living room. Raelle huffing in annoyance and Scylla glaring at Abigail.

“What was so urgent? We were busy.” To which the Bellweather replies with a knowing smirk.

“Oh, I know.” Abigail smiles smugly. This made Scylla wonder if the two’s bond is gone at all. It didn’t seem like a coincidence that Abigail managed to interrupt at the exact moment.

Raelle looks between the two, her eyes widening as she came to the same conclusion.

“Shit Abigail, we’re still connected aren’t we?”

“It appears there’s still some lingering trace of the bond between us. But it’s very faint, hence why I could only feel it when your emotions are heightened.”

“Well, how long have you known? And why couldn’t I feel yours?” Raelle asks, perplexed.

“Because, no offense, but I have more control over my emotions than yours. And the first time I felt it was when my mom and Scylla had their showdown for the first time. But I was dealing with my own shit as well that, I didn’t realize it that instant.” Abigail explained.

“And the second time was last night when you guys left for the beach. Here I thought I was finally going to have some alone time by myself, but no, the two of you had to go and be all mushy towards one another.”

Raelle’s face flashed in embarrassment. Scylla scoffs.

“We’re not mushy.” Scylla defended weakly. Goddess, what has Raelle turned her into? Her bad-girl cred is literally going down the drain and she’s didn’t even care. 

“Yeah, tell that to someone that doesn’t have that weird mushroom link with your girlfriend.”

“Fuck.” Raelle muttered, running her hand through her hair. She doesn’t know whether she feels relieved or annoyed by that revelation.

“What do we do then?” She asks Abigail. What does that even mean? Does that mean Abigail’s going to know every time she and Scylla has sex? Or vice-versa?

“I don’t think there’s much we can do about it until we hear back from Tally and Anacostia. In the meantime I guess we’ll have to wait and see whether the connection’s going to stay this way or if it’ll just fade away completely.”

“But we do need to talk about our next steps. About the meet-up.” Abigail looks at Raelle expectantly. 

“I told you, I’m not going.” Raelle crosses her arms, looking up at Abigail with a look Abigail is all too familiar with.

“And I’m not going to force you to. But if you’re sure about this, we need to find somewhere else to hole-up. Unless we want that blonde bitch to show up at our doorstep again.”

“I know places we can hide.” Scylla chimes up, glancing between the two women. “-from my dodging days.” She adds hastily, knowing both Raelle and Abigail would want nothing to do with the Spree. And from the looks of it, it appears that was what their first thought was.

Abigail scrutinizes the woman carefully, it’s not that she doesn’t trust her. She does, to some extent. But it’s going to take some time before she can just put the lives of her unit in the ex-Spree’s hand without a second thought.

“But there’s still the problem of how they managed to find out where we are in the first place.” Abigail says, not breaking her stare from Scylla. Scylla sighs.

“I told you Abigail, I had nothing to do it.”

“Maybe not intentionally.”

“She could’ve put a tracking spell on you and you wouldn’t have known.” And Scylla has to admit, it makes sense. But to the life of her, she couldn’t think of one specific moment where Willa or anyone else, could’ve done that.

“It’s possible.” Scylla admits.

“Think back, are there any moments where your Spree handlers have performed some sort of Work on you. Maybe on the premise of teaching you something.”

“I don’t… I don’t know.”

Abigail scoffs.

“Hey, I was with them for years okay? Most of them in training. They could’ve done it at any one moment.”

“We need Anacostia.” Raelle piped up. They are so out of their league with everything.

“I asked my mom to have them call us the first chance they get. We’ll just have to wait for them.” Abigail huffs, frustrated as well. It appears her mother has just dumped everything on her and she has no idea what she’s doing.

“Okay, are we done?”

“Almost… I need to talk to Raelle.” Abigail looks at Scylla.

“Okay, I guess I’ll just go back to my room…” Scylla starts, looking at Abigail questioningly. After Petra left Abigail in charge, she has no idea what her prisoner status was. And she doesn’t think Abigail herself even knows.

Scylla knows there’s no way Abigail is going to let her leave-not that she’s planning to-but with everything she knows about the Spree and the Military, she’s both an asset and a liability. If Abigail’s the kind of leader she thinks the Bellweather is, she’s not going to take any chances with Scylla.

“Just… Don’t leave the house.” Abigail orders, her tone not allowing Scylla any exceptions. Scylla nods in understanding and leaves the room.

Raelle raises her brows at Abigail, a hint of a smile on her face.

“What?”

“Nothing, just… Thanks.” Raelle shrugs, plopping down into the seat closest to her. Abigail follows and sits down opposite.

“I didn’t do it for you.” Abigail scoffs, and Raelle didn’t need to have their bond to know that it was an obvious lie. 

Scylla is the epitome of everything Abigail’s been fighting against. If it weren’t for how Raelle feels about the necro, Scylla would either be sent to the Caribbean or being tortured for information the very moment Abigail laid eyes on her.

But unfortunately for her, her shitbird of a sister has to go and fall for a Spree. They’re a package deal now. If she wants Raelle, she’ll have to learn how to be civil with Scylla as well.

* * *

“Anacostia! Just the person I’ve been looking for.” Izadora finally caught up with Anacostia outside of Circe barracks.

“We need to talk. In private.” Izadora says and guides Anacostia towards an isolated pathway right near the building. 

“My class is about to start, what’s this about?” Anacostia crosses her arms and looks at Izadora impatiently.

“I don’t know what private Craven has told you, but I caught her at the Mycelieum wall late at night, yesterday.” Anacostia sighs at that information, she specifically remembered telling Tally to get close to Izadora but to avoid doing anything suspicious. Sneaking in to see the Mycelieum wall at the dead of night and getting caught is definitely not it.

“She’s probably just got curious after hearing about it from her time as General Alder’s Biddy. She’ll be reprimanded, I promise you. It won’t happen again.” Anacostia tries but Izadora wasn’t having it.

“Don’t do this to me Ana. You and I have too much history for you to give me the run around like this. What’s going on?”

“There’s nothing going on.” Anacostia kept up her pretense but she knows it’s not working.

“I lied to Sarah Alder about you and Tally Craven’s whereabouts because you asked me to. And I didn’t ask for any explanations nor did I expect anything from you in return. But I know something else is going on here between you and the General and the Bellweather unit. And goddamnit I deserve an explanation.” Izadora whisper-yelled, her eyes darting around knowing that they’re entering forbidden territory with their words.

“And if I don’t? Are you going to tell reveal everything to Alder?” Anacostia spat, getting defensive.

“Of course not! After everything we’ve gone though, is that the kind of person you think I am?” Izadora asks, offended. 

Anacostia has to admit, that went too far. Izadora is the main reason both her and Tally aren’t in Alder’s dungeon right now and all the woman is asking for is an explanation. Anacostia sighs, there really is no other way out of this.

“My office, three hours.” Anacostia whispers and instead of heading towards her next class, Anacostia takes a right turn and heads towards where the phones are. 

* * *

  
“So what’s up?” Raelle asks, moving herself so she’s lying sideways on the couch with her legs over the arm of the chair, making herself comfortable.

“Just wanted to catch up after everything, ask how you’re doing. You know we haven’t had a moment just for ourselves ever since they rescued us. Plus you and Necro has been joined at the hip 24/7.”

“You jealous Bells? You miss having me all to yourself didn’t you?” Raelle smirks, cocking her head towards Bellweather. 

“Please.” The Bellweather scoffs.

“I’m okay. Considering.” Raelle answers, looking up at the ceiling deep in thought.

“I mean… We’re not dead. The unit’s back together. And I have Scylla back.” Raelle smiles, and for the first time, Abigail saw something on her face she’s never seen before. Hope. 

Despite everything that’s going on, this is the first time Raelle’s felt like she’s truly found herself.

When she first came to Fort Salem, all Raelle wanted was to get deployed early and die on the front lines. She didn’t want a life where she was nothing but a pawn to someone else’s game.

She saw how her dad was whenever her mom was deployed, always waiting for her letters, always listening to the radio for any news concerning whatever war-zone Willa Collar was in.

And the way he flinches anytime someone knocks on the door thinking this is it, this is when they finally deliver news that she’s fallen in action… Raelle didn’t want to put her father through that again.

After she met her unit and Scylla, she tried. She desperately tried to look towards a future with them but she couldn’t. No matter how much she cares about them, she just couldn’t look forward to a future while conscription’s still a thing. And she’s still fighting someone else’s fight no matter who’s beside her.

But now that she knows that she’s not the only one that sees the truth about their lives. And now that her unit, Scylla, Anacostia and even Petra is open to start working towards a future where they could all be free… 

Raelle is starting to think that maybe there is hope of a better future afterall. 

“Good… I’m glad.” Abigail reciprocates her smile.

“And you??” Raelle asks.

“Well this certainly isn’t the future I planned for sure.” Abigail’s dream of being another Bellweather to come out first at war-college, now seems pretty pathetic after everything they’ve gone through.

“But… I agree with you, it’s okay. We’re going to be okay.” Abigail reaches forwards and holds her hand out for Raelle, Raelle takes it from her position. Abigail’s hand feels warm between hers, that’s how her unit feels.

Warm, and safe. Like family.

The phone sitting on the living room table starts ringing, interrupting their moment. Abigail picks it up and holds it against her ear.

“It’s Anacostia.”

A while later, Raelle finds Scylla in the kitchen. A pot is being boiled on the stove while Scylla chops some vegetables on the kitchen island.

Scylla hadn’t noticed her yet, so Raelle leans against the doorway with her arms crossed, looking at the woman fondly with a smile on her face.

Building a home isn’t something Raelle ever really thought about. But with her new-found “Hope”, Raelle couldn’t help but imagine a future, coming home to this exact scene after a long day at whatever normal boring job she decides to choose.

To making Scylla breakfast in bed with badly-burnt toast to which Scylla will pretend to enjoy for Raelle’s sake before they both gave up and decide to go out for breakfast at a local diner. To arguing about mundane things like unwashed dishes, and forgetting to buy groceries, or who gets to do laundry next.

Raelle decides, domesticity is something she would actually look forward to if it’s with Scylla.

“She’s good in bed AND she cooks too? If I wasn’t in love before…” Raelle says, making her way towards Scylla. Scylla looks up, finally noticing Raelle and her smile increases ten-fold.

“I knew it, you were only with me for my culinary skills Collar.” Scylla says, cocking her head as her hands were busy. Raelle hugs Scylla from behind, pressing up against the woman.

“And don’t forget the sex.” She starts trailing kisses along Scylla’s neck.

“Of course, my favorite part.” Scylla sighs in content and tilts her head up to allow more access.

After a few more kisses, Scylla decides she’s had enough, she was already pent up from being left high and dry before. Scylla drops her knife, turns off the stove and whips around towards Raelle. Raelle places her hands on the kitchen counter, effectively trapping Scylla in.

Scylla kisses Raelle. Hard. Her tongue taking charge, exploring every inch of Raelle’s mouth. Only breaking apart for a second when oxygen was becoming an issue before finding each other again. Raelle grabs Scylla’s thigh and lifts her onto the kitchen table, but… before they could go any further a cough interrupts them and they broke apart.

“I believe I told you to go get Scylla so we can discuss about Anacostia’s phone call. Not have sex with her on my kitchen counter.” Abigail lectures, her arms crossed as she looks at the two up and down. Horndogs… both of them. She shakes her head. What has she gotten herself into?

They both looked at each other and at least had the decency to look sheepish at what they almost let happen out there in the open.

“Anacostia called?” Scylla asks, changing the subject quickly as she slides down from the counter.

“We need to talk.” Abigail says and leaves the two without bothering waiting for a response. Raelle and Scylla looks at each other’s flushed expressed and lets out a chuckle before they gathered themselves and joined Abigail in the living-room.

As soon as they arrived, Abigail recounted everything Anacostia has told them, none of which are good.

Alder now has the Tarim’s seed AND the support of the Hague along with all the witches at Fort Salem. Just as they suspected, Alder has been using Abigail and Raelle’s deaths to push this war against the Camarilla forward even though they have no idea where to find them.

If they thought the Spree are good at hiding their tracks, an ancient sect of witch-hunters that have been thought to have been extinct for so long, is even worse.

There have been three more Spree attacks within the past few days which included a passenger plane heading towards Italy, a movie theater in Alabama and a highway bus leaving Texas.

No news on the Mycelieum front or the mushroom link, though Anacostia did mention she might have something the next time she calls them.

“There’s no specific way to tell if you have a tracking spell on you.” Abigail tells Scylla after relaying the more important information.

“Each signature is different, and without knowing what frequency to look for, it’ll be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

“Okay I’m sensing a but.” Scylla crosses her arms, looking at the Bellweather expectantly.

“But… she suggested linking. Anacostia thinks by linking, we could somehow dig though your memories and there’s a chance we could figure out when exactly they placed a tracker on you.” Abigail says, looking at the necro cautiously.

“We should try it.” Scylla shrugs easily, and the two looked at her with disbelief.

“Really? I thought you’d have a problem with it. I mean, after everything.” Abigail asks, looking at the necro quizzically, trying to figure out if this is some kind of joke. 

“To clarify. I have a problem with someone I don’t know, having free reign inside my head. I don’t have a problem if it’s Rae doing it with me.” It honestly surprised Scylla too at how easily she agreed to it, knowing that what Raelle sees in there could change how her Fixer views her. But after Raelle’s admission last night at the beach, Scylla isn’t as scared anymore. 

“Take a trip down memory lane with me?” Scylla asks.

“Always.” Raelle smiles at Scylla. A look of understanding crosses both their faces. 

No matter how casually Scylla says it, Raelle knows how big a deal this is. Especially after Scylla’s entire life of living with walls built up high, both out of necessity and of preference.

The fact that the dodger, turned Spree, turned undercover agent, is willing to let Raelle see inside her past as raw as a linking would, is the deepest honor one could be granted from a partner and Raelle doesn’t take it lightly in the slightest.

* * *

When Anacostia finally gets back to her office, Izadora is already waiting for her. Her arms crossed, looking expectantly as the drill sergeant pushes the door shut.

“Well?” Izadora taps her foot impatiently, not looking to be in the mood for Anacostia to give her another roundabout.

“Craven’s joining us too.” Just as the words left Anacostia’s lips, the door bursts open and in enters a red faced Tally Craven, panting as she pushed the door shut and leans back against the door. Anacostia raises her brows in question.

“Sorry, my Mother-tongue class went over and it was on the other end of the campus and then I had to take the other route because Gerit’s waiting right outside and then for whatever reason-” Tally pauses her rant, finally noticing Izadora. She gulps and looks between the two Sergeants wide-eyed.

“I’m in trouble aren’t I?” Tally looks at her mentor.

“Yes, I have been informed of your excursion late at night to the necro facility without my permission… But we’ll deal with that later.” Anacostia waves it off, and Tally isn’t sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“I called you here because I’m going to tell Izadora everything. And you’re as much part of this as I am, if not more.”

“Everything? As in everything, everything?” Tally straightens and looks scrutinizingly at Anacostia, trying to figure out if the drill sergeant is somehow trying to say something between the lines.

Anacostia regretted not having the chance to ask Tally for permission beforehand but there was simply no time between classes. And the reason Anacostia specifically asked to meet with Izadora the first chance she gets free was out of fear that leaving the Necro teacher with questions like this longer than necessary is more dangerous than she’d like to think.

“Yes Craven. Izadora’s the reason neither of us are in Alder’s dungeon right now, she deserves to know the truth.” It came out as more of a question than a statement.

Tally looks between to two and finally gives a nod towards Anacostia in agreement. Anacostia wouldn’t even bring this up if she doesn’t trust Izadora and Tally trusts Anacostia. So this wasn’t a hard decision for her.

“I think you should take a seat.” Anacostia gestures towards the chair opposite her her desk.

“I’d like to stand, if that’s all the same.” Izadora looks between two, uncomfortable, on edge.

“Nothing leaves this room.” Anacostia performs a sub-vocal privacy spell and warns Izadora again just for her own reassurance.

“Okay, the first thing you should know is that both Bellweather and Collar are alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes next chapter, we're going to be exploring both Raelle and Scylla's past so please please guys comment what specific moment you guys would like to see. Or even just what you guys would like to see happen along this entire fic in general.
> 
> Your comments really motivate me to keep writing.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to use the comment section as your personal sounding board on all things Raylla and MFS.
> 
> And because of the state of the world right now, if you just need a place to vent, go off in the comments.
> 
> I promise this is a safe space for any race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. 
> 
> PS: You can find me on ig and twitter @shitbirdmfs


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